Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip
by Mellow Dias
Summary: Eight Boys. Eight girls. Jabberwock Island. Fifty days. And one bear trying to mess it all up. There were two things that needed to be done in order to live peacefully: Collect all the Hope Fragments and survive. One boy must bring his classmates together in order to accomplish these things and maybe find something more on the way. Alternate universe. Hinata x Harem (Maybe)
1. Prologue: Gather Your Belongings

A/N: I've noticed that I've hadn't published anything in a while and I mean a while, so I decided to put out one of my many ideas in my head and here you are, reading the author's note of a new Dangan Ronpa fanfiction before getting to the actual story. Let's just hope Microsoft Word doesn't screw me over so please forgive me for any spelling and grammatical errors. I'm not doing this on purpose.

Oh, and before you do, I just want to remind you that this is only the prologue so it's written a bit different, mainly the beginning being nothing but dialogue. The actual chapter, the first one, I'm currently working on so if you want more you'll have to be a good boy/girl and wait, OR you can leave a review and maybe that will increase my processing power.

With that said, I'm going to leave you with this final piece of information before going to the disclaimer: This is an AU where the plans for the Neo World Program goes just as Makoto planned except with a bit of humor, adventure, friendship, bro-ship, girl love, romance, harem (Maybe. Depends on your support) you know; the good stuff. And as the icing on the cake in this AU, Makato and Kyoko are screwing each other.

Or maybe not?!

...

Kidding. They aren't.

Or am I?!

...

Really. They're just friends.

Or are they?!

...

No. They are.

Until Danganronpa 3 comes out and proves me wrong, this Mellow Dias among other people says they're doing R-rated stuff.

...

Dangan Island: The Ultimate Islander

Prologue: Gathering Your Belongings

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa. It's own by the guys at Spike Chunsoft. If I did, Togami would be much less of an asshole than he is now and Naegi would have his own harem. He'll be the Ultimate Lucky Student, alright;).

...

"Makoto, are you sure this is a wise decision?"

"I think so. It may be risky, but at least this way we'll be able to save them..."

"The higher-ups don't share the same views about them like you do. No doubt they'll be watching us for now on to figure out where did the Survivors of Hope Peak Academy disappeared to."

"Yeah. We'll have to work hard to keep this hidden from them. If they found out, then all of this would've been for nothing. I mean, if no one's going to help them, then who will? What was the point of themselves being in the Future Foundation?

"I suppose that's a way to think about it since you're the one who suggested the idea. But everyone has their own opinion and there's no changing that, especially in the world were in. But about this program...Didn't you say so yourself that it hasn't been tested?"

"It's still in the testing phase that part is true, but as for actual testing we haven't gotten around to that…"

"So why haven't you?"

"Well, we didn't have any candidates and everyone else was too busy to volunteer. I don't understand why they wouldn't want to test something that can save lives…"

"They're probably afraid of what might happen to them."

"...What do you mean?"

"Think about it. The program was created by the Ultimate Programmer, the Ultimate Neurologist, and the Ultimate Therapist. It's next generation software that utilizes all the five senses and stimulates them using advanced neuroscience and technology, a feat that is only capable through the combined efforts of those three. Knowing this, if someone were to enter the virtual world and, for example, jumped 10 feet in the air, they could defy human capabilities. However, this particular program wasn't made for such things, was it?"

"I… Don't think it was made for stuff like that…"

"I thought as much. Since the program wasn't made to exceed the capabilities of the human body, a player's avatar will have the same strength and abilities they would have in the real world, considering that the program uploads an exact copy of a person based on the information received. They would always be the same person they were here and in the virtual world."

"Yes, they would. A person could run all day in the virtual world and get tired like a normal person, but their body in the real world wouldn't experience that same feeling because all transmissions from the body and the brain will be blocked and vice versa. Of course, they can always train themselves so they can get stronger, but only their avatar would receive those benefits, which can't be carried over to their real body in this world."

"In other words, they can be a different person in that world but they'll still be the same in this one. Quite an interesting program if one wishes to entertain themselves. But the world inside isn't some sort of game where you can save your avatar and its changes to play with later."

"You seem unsure about this. Is there something wrong?"

"You're the one who knows about it more than I do. You should know."

"W-What makes you say that?…"

"Did you think I wouldn't notice? You've been in here longer than anyone of us. I doubt that you've been talking to Alter Ego unless it was about the program… Weren't you?"

"T-That…!"

"If it's something you can't say, just write it on a piece of paper and show me. I doubt that he'll be upset if you talked about it, but I'm sure he can't hear us while he's in sleep mode."

"I- It's not anything like that!"

"…"

"Seriously! It's not anything like that!"

"…"

"I… I'm sorry… I want to tell you but…"

"It's fine."

"Huh...?"

"I've already expected that you wouldn't tell me so easily… Even after everything we've been through…"

"It's not like I don't want to tell you… It's just –"

"However, I've already thought of my own theories. I just thought I would confirm them."

"W-What are you trying to say?…"

"You already said so earlier. To be more precise, you've explained part of it."

"I did?!"

"Mentioning a detail – no matter how small it is – can draw inferences, and eventually lead to the conclusion. It's something I've learned during my line of work. Even after leaving Hope's Peak Academy, you're still foolishly open as ever."

"…"

"Anyway, I'll begin explaining my theory about the program. Although any transmissions from and to the brain are blocked, a player's avatar can fell the same stimulations in the virtual world as they would in this one. Am I right?"

"That's not it. The human body depends on the nervous system to perform actions that other systems can't. If something was done to it that prevents the body from sending signals to the brain, then that person would be paralyzed. This only happens when someone's conscience in this world is being uploaded into the program. As for where they'll be able to feel anything while they're inside, I don't know. Like I said earlier, the program hasn't been tested yet and I'm no neurologist, much less the Ultimate Neurologist."

"That's fine. I wasn't expecting you to give me a concrete answer. It would've been quite surprising if you actually knew anything about that field of study."

"W-What's that supposed to mean?!"

"For now, let's just assume that a player's avatar doesn't feel anything. It would make the most sense, considering that it's virtual reality. However, just because the world inside isn't real doesn't mean it applies to everything else."

"… Huh?"

"Close your eyes."

"W-Why?"

"So I can perform an experiment."

"Wouldn't it be better if you show me instead of having my eyes closed?"

"…"

"If it's about privacy, I can turn my head or leave the room if you want. Just tell me how much time you'll need and I'll come back later."

"…"

"…"

"Don't you trust me?"

"W-What?… Of course I trust you. Why would you think I wouldn't?"

"Friends should trust each other… Those were your own words back at Hope's Peak Academy, correct?"

"Yes, I'd say that but it's… It's nothing like that… I do trust you but…"

"Are you worried that I would do something inappropriate?"

"What?! N-No! It's not that, it's just –"

"So it was?"

"Yes! I-I mean– No! I just don't want to be in the way if you needed to be alone!"

"Calm down. If I wanted to, I could've tried something. I had plently of opportunities to do so earlier."

"What?!"

"Tricked you. You really are easily fooled, Mr. Open Book."

"..."

"Aren't you going to close your eyes?"

"Oh… Right."

"Now then, I want you to imagine a person standing in front of you."

"Okay. Now what?"

"Now, imagine that person holding a knife."

"What!? Why?!"

"Trust me. You'll understand what I'm trying to do in a moment."

"Fine…"

"That person holding the knife points it at you with the intent to kill. What is your reaction?"

"I would be scared… Scared that my life is in danger and that person wants to kill me without explaining their reason…"

"Good. That's a normal reaction for human being whose life is in danger."

"U-Um…"

"Sorry. Let's continue. Now, that person has stabbed you in the abdomen with that knife. How do you feel?"

"I… Don't feel anything…"

"Try imagining the blade piercing your skin and entering your stomach."

"O-Okay…"

"How do you feel?"

"I feel… Fine. I don't want doubt your intuition, but are you sure you're doing this right?"

"Hmm..."

"Is there something wrong?"

"It's not the experiment that's wrong, but rather the constant."

"… Eh?"

"We'll need a stronger – no… A better constant if we want this experiment to work. We might need to change other parts as well."

"Okay, but how are we supposed to do that?"

"…"

"H-Hey, wait! Where are you taking me?!"

"We'lI need to go somewhere else for a while and I also need to gather a few things. You'll need to be lying down in order for this to work."

…

"Did you keep your eyes closed the entire time I was gone?..."

"You… Never told me to open them…"

"I was gone for more than five minutes. Did it ever occurred to you that your eyes would need a break?"

"I-I did! I just want to see if I could continue the experiment on my own while you are gone…"

"…"

"So, um… Can I open my eyes now? I don't know if I can do this for another five minutes…"

"Don't worry. This won't take long. It's better if you didn't see the things that I've brought with me. You'll understand better that way."

"Understand what better? …And what stuff do you bring with you?"

"… Things that will help with the experiment."

"…"

"Anyways, let's start over from the beginning to avoid any confusion. But before we do, there's something I need to do first. Hold still."

"Huh? Okay, but – H-Hey! What are you doing?!"

"Calm down. I'm doing this as a precaution to make sure you don't see anything."

"I know, but do you really have to blindfold me and... are theses handcuffs?! If it's about my eyes, I can keep them closed for as long as I can."

"For this to work, I need to be absolutely sure that you can't see anything that I'm doing. You also need to be restrained so that's why I'm handcuffing you. I would've used the rope but that could've hurted your wrists and ankles. You can open your eyes if you want, but I doubt you'll be able to see anything."

"Y-Yeah…"

"Before we begin, there something I want to ask you and I need you to be completely honest with your answer: Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course I want to do this. Why'd you ask?"

"Because the next part in this experiment… Is going to be harder on you. Do you still want to take that risk?"

"I don't know what you're trying to tell me by doing this… But I know it's something I need to know if we want to be able to save them. If we want to move forward, danger can't be avoided. Isn't that what you told me back at Hope's Peak Academy?"

"…"

"…"

"So that's your answer, is it? I see… Very well. If you know the risk, then there's no point in trying to deter you any further. Now then, I want you to imagine that person holding the knife again."

"Okay. Should I imagine the person stabbing me again?"

"No, not just yet. This is where we apply another change to this experiment. Remember what I said earlier about the last one?"

"Yeah… Wasn't it about the control?"

"Correct. While we did had the sense of danger right, the person holding the knife didn't quite portray that feeling. In order to do that, we'll need to change the control entirely. That way, they'll have more of a significant impact on the person imagining them."

"So who should I imagine?"

"I'll tell you in a moment, I just wanted to set everything up before we continue."

"…"

"…"

"Are you still imagining that person pointing the knife at you?"

"Yeah... Why?"

"Because this time... I want you to imagine that person... as Sayaka Maizono."

"...!"

"It's the only way we can know for certain that this experiment will work."

"Why?... I don't understand. Why would you tell me to think about her... of all people."

"Keep your eyes closed. Don't change that image, not matter how much you want that person to be someone else."

"But why?..."

"The real Sayako Maizono is dead. The one in your mind is real as you want her to be."

"..."

"i know that I'm forcing you to remember something painful, but this isn't just for you. This is for the people who weren't brave enough to test the program. This is for the survivors of Hope's Peak Academy that you want to save. That is why you need to do this."

"..."

"Because just like after the first class trial, I still believe- even now- that you're a people who can overcome."

"..."

"..."

"...Fine...I get it. You believe in me just like I believed in you. If that's the case, then there's no way I can turn away from this...Right?"

"Yes... That's precisely the reason."

"I think I understand why you wanted me to do this. Because if I don't, then I won't know what you're trying to show me and I won't be able to help them. Sorry that I've been holding up your experiment. I just... needed to get my thoughts together. So let's continue on with it."

"Good. As I was saying before, Sayaka Maizono is pointing the knife at you. How do you feel?"

"I feel... scared and... betrayed. My friend is pointing a weapon at me and I don't know why. Does she really want to kill me? I have no way of knowing. I..I want to know why she would do such a thing so I can talk her out of it... but she... she..."

"Now, Sayaka stabs you with the knife. It plunges deep into your stomach. How does it feel?"

"It feels like... something is jabbed into my stomach and... it hurts... like fire in the pit of my stomach... I can hear the sound of something spilling on the floor... What is that...?

"It's the sound of your blood."

"...!"

"Don't move, Naegi."

"But I'm-!"

"Calm down. What you're feeling isn't real. The Sayaka Maizono in your mind isn't real. It only feels that way because you think she is."

"..."

"Now, Sayaka Maizono plunges the knife deeper into your stomach. How does it feel?"

"It... It hurts... It hurts! Sayaka! Why are you doing this?! S-Stop! You're killing me!"

"What you're feeling isn't real, Naegi. Sayaka Maizono isn't hurting you."

"But she _is_! She's killing me... and I can feel it...! I can feel the knife moving inside my stomach! Guh... Why does it hurt so much?"

"It shouldn't hurt at all. There isn't a knife inside your stomach and you're perfectly fine. Sayaka isn't hurting you and can't do so because she is no longer alive."

"But she _is_! How else did she get inside headquarters!? How else is she standing front of me!? How else is she killing me!?"

"..."

"P-Please! Explain this to me!"

"Sayaka twists the knife inside your stomach as she plunges it deeper."

"Gyaaaaah! S-S-Sayaka! W-Why are you doing this?! I thought we were friends! I was going to protect you... Were you using me, even after I promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to you...?"

"..."

"Say something, Sayaka!"

"She can't hear you. The Sayaka Maizono killing you isn't real. She's only real as as you think she is."

"But... she _is_ real... Because if the Sayaka Maizono I know isn't real... then why is she holding a knife?! Why is she stabbing me with it!? Why do I feel it inside my stomach!? Why do I feel myself losing blood!? Why did I... feel... so... tired...?"

"Tired...? Makoto, open your eyes! What you're feeling isn't real! Sayaka isn't killing you! It's just an illusion! The pain you're feeling is all in your mind! Makoto...?! Makoto! Makoto!"

...

Makoto Naegi felt like his eyelids weighed like a ton of bricks as he struggled to open them, his eyes slowly adjusting to the brightness that shone above him. Perhap it was the light of the sun. Additionally, he felt that his arms were heavier than his eyelids as he tried to rub the cobwebs out of his eyes. A warm – almost embracing – presence was wrapped around his body, the soft comfortness covering him from head to toe. Despite the unknown warmth and heaviness, Makoto couldn't find an answer to the question that lingered in his mind since he awoke: why? Searching through the foggy parts of his mind, he tried to recall the events from before he lost consciousness.

 _That's right. Kirigiri and I were talking about the Neo World Program. We were doing some experiment and Sayaka…_

Makoto's mind came to a screeching halt.

Sayaka Maizono. His classmate from middle school and the first person to recognize him during the High School Life of Mutual Killing. She pointed a knife at him… She stabbed him… Looked at him and did nothing as he pleaded with her. No matter how much he asked for her reasoning and begged her to stop; she said nothing as she was killing him, intensifying the pain – of her betrayal and his death, as his life pooled at his feet. All of it and she did nothing as she watched him die with those eyes, those blue eyes – those cold, blue eyes staring at him like something that was supposed to be dead. Dead… Dead… Dead… Dead…

Dead.

 _I'm supposed to be dead, aren't I? Sayaka killed me, I know for certain. So where am I?..._

His vision returned to a somewhat clear degree, Makoto focus his attention on the light above him. It was bright, like the sun on a sunny day (when was the last time he'd seen one of those, he wondered). It's light made it difficult for him to decipher the source of its radiance, and it didn't relent. Perhaps it was supposed to guide the deceased to the afterlife. Makoto recalled it from those romantic dramas and novels he enjoyed before he realized the world was in shambles– before he realized The Tragedy was at fault. He still had time to indulge in those things, despite the workload of the Future Foundation, but he never could find the opportunity to do so in the company of his friends, including Togami. Especially Togami. Makoto shuddered at the thought.

He stared at the light. For something that was supposed to guide him, it didn't look he was getting any closer to it. Similarily, it looked like it was doing the same. It just hung in the air, like a ball attached to a string. Was he perhaps trapped between two worlds? Like that boy who fell in love with a youkai in that book he read? Probably. Maybe he'll ask Sayaka or one of his other friends about it once he gets the other side. That is, if the first option didn't get him killed a second time.

If only if his body wasn't so heavy…

Makoto sighed. Maybe being stuck between two worlds was, in some small sense of resignment, for the better. He wouldn't – no, couldn't face Sayaka after what she had done. Even after he'd resolved to keep moving forward and never forget the past after her death, she didn't feel the same about his commitment. She must've felt that those words were hollow, empty like the promise that he couldn't fulfill when she depended on him, when she feared for the lives of her friends outside of Hope's Peak Academy and couldn't do anything about it, feared that she would be killed at any second by one of her classmates, feared that she could be trapped inside that school forever and she was powerless to do anything about it...

But in the end, it was all a lie. She wanted to use him to disguise her crime, and make him take the blame.

However, like a bad case of karma, it all backfired.

That must be the reason she came back. If her plan had succeeded back then, maybe she would've been alive and had reunited with her friends. God must've thought the same if He allowed Sayaka to return to the world of the living to kill him and deny him entrance to the afterlife, instead leaving him to drift between life and death for...who knows how long. Eternity? That would've been a suitable punishment, considering what Sayaka had gone through. Maybe that's why he felt so… willing to be stuck in this world, to have that light hover over him that wouldn't get any closer, to have this light breeze caress his face…

Wait a minute.

Light breeze…?

Makoto's eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment. Dead people weren't supposed to feel anything, weren't they? That article he read a week ago was informative and up to date on the recent activity in the world – before society went to hell, that is. Heck, it was even written by a healthcare professional who taught at one the best universities in Japan (Kirigiri mentioned something about the author being from a psychological Institute). Despite the thoughts of "Do not read!", it seemed trustworthy enough so he figured, "Let's give this a shot," until he found a bookstore or library that remained unaffected by looters (or rather preverts looking for dirty magazines). "Preserving knowledge" or something similar he would say whenever he returned from a mission with the book in hand – and as many books his suit would conceal.

Nevertheless, it didn't take his mind off the strange breeze. It's source must be coming from that light above him – the entrance to heaven where a beautiful paradise awaited him, one that he could never reach. As if to see that paradise, Makoto squinted his eyes to see what was beyond the light. It was bright, and his eyes stung despite being open for… How long? – Five minutes, he guessed – but he persevered and glanced ahead. He couldn't exactly see what was beyond that glow, per se, but Makoto saw something throughout the brightness…

Blades.

Four blades, spinning together like a giant saw blade at a wood factory.

They hung over him. Their speed, too fast for the human eye to track, but not fast enough to make it impossible, made them look like a blur.

Makoto's heart sank into his chest. Why were there blades above him spinning? Had He sent him to the fiery depths of hell? Of course, it wasn't. He had thought that he was stuck between two worlds a moment ago. There weren't any pillars of fire or demon with horns holding a pitchfork, either. However, that thought didn't explain this strange breeze that kept hitting him. Focusing his vision, he peered at the hovering blades that practically spelled "death".

 _Wait… Those aren't blades. Are those… Pieces of wood? But why would they…_

Makoto blinked; once, twice, as many times as he could until his vision was clear. Finally, his eyes were working the way he wanted. His vision clear, Makoto stared at the true identity of the blades...

A ceiling fan.

 _I must be in a room. But whose room is this, and how did I get here?_

No use lying down if the answers weren't going to come to him, Makoto thought. He tried to rise up, but what little strength he had gathered left him and his body landed flat on his back. He expected to hit the floor but his back had landed on something soft. He must've been in a bed, cover in a blanket nonetheless. Figures. Why else would his "journey" to the afterlife be so comfortable? Still, it didn't explain why his body felt so heavy (maybe the gigantic blanket was heavy than it loooked)… And warm. Furthermore, his nostrils caught the strong, scent of lavender, almost intoxicating. It was as if the source of that smell was close… Really close… Like it was right next to him and –

 _Oh no…_

Makoto's eyes slowly shifted to the left.

 _No… It couldn't be…_

His body froze. Makoto didn't know the reason, but something in the back of his cerebral cortex told him not to look, no matter how much the feeling of curiosity pegs at his brain. Something was latched onto his left arm and it felt… Warm, like…

A living thing.

A living thing with a heartbeat.

He could feel it's pulse against his left arm, the heaviest part of his body. One. Two. Three. Four...

Makoto didn't need to be a scientist to connect the dots. Whatever was holding on him was alive and he didn't even know what it was. For all he knew, it could be some bloodthirsty animal waiting to tear at his flesh at any moment – even while he's contemplating this. Or perhaps some deranged killer holding him down with one hand while holding the knife in the other, all the while enjoying watching him squirm, waiting for the moment he did something; a movement, a mistake – anything before ending it all.

He wanted to ignore it and consider this all a dream – one realistic dream he hoped to wake up from, but that would be fooolish thinking. Tiredness, curiosity, fear, and a sense of danger melded into one, a feeling that could be the death of him if his judgment was wrong. He would be delaying the inevitable if he lied still, but that would mean giving into despair – something he couldn't bring himself to do.

Probably doing the stupidest thing in his life, he took a deep breath and turned his head.

…

What Makoto Naegi saw would forever be engraved in his mind.

He didn't see a bloodthirsty animal, nor a killer holding a knife…

But what he saw beside him...

Made him think that his title as the Ultimate Lucky Student...

Was a curse.

...

Hajime Hinata jolted out of bed, beads of sweat streaming down his forehead.

"...What the hell was that?"

...

A/N: So did you like the prologue? I tried my best to keep it professional but I also wanted to make it funny, even in situations like whether you're stuck in limbo, the situation that one of our protagonists of the story was in.

If you guys are confused about that or thought you missed something, well; Makato basically thought that he was wandering between life and death but was really in a room the entire time and was tired from sleep. As for the last part about who was beside him, I'll leave that to you to think about until I get the next chapter out, where I will reveal the identity of the mystery person.

As for that last bit about Hajime: He'll be in the story. He's the main character and he was listed as one in the description. Remember, this is only the prologue so you'll be seeing more of him next chapter.

Please leave a review and/or critism. It is welcomed since this Mellow Dias was too busy to write anything.

Until next chapter, everyone.


	2. Chapter 1: The Friendly Waves Part1

A/N: I can't believe it took me half a f**king year to post a next chapter to this story. Damn those professors. Slamming me with research papers and homework. Well, I suppose it's my own damn fault for slacking off when I was in the hospital.

...

Sorry about that. I was thinking aloud and somehow my fingers were typing on their own. I'm not going to even delete that last part just to teach myself a lesson: don't keep the readers waiting.

But you guys are here to read a story not someone's personal problems so let's get started with the intro. In this chapter, we'll be seeing Hajime for the first time and maybe someone else along the way. And, just like I promised, I'll be revealing the mystery person beside Naegi. I can already see the comments rolled and the PMs being sent. Some of you may be thrown for a loop when "the big reveal" happens and some of you might hate me, so I'll hopefully see some funny comments from you all when you're finished reading this chapter.

I've mentioned this in my profile update (marked **7/17/15** )but I'll still looking for a beta so if you have any suggestions on who I should talk to or if you're a beta yourself, PM me and we'll talk. I want someone to point out my flaws and tell me what I need to work on so you guys out there can get these chapters here, not to mention this Mellow Dias will be too busy to notice a damn thing. If you/they mention anything about co-writing, I'll weigh the option on a scale and if it one side weighs the heaviest, we'll get to talking and I'll let you guys know.

Oh, and in case I forget. I want to introduce you all to two OCs (don't judge yet) I wanted to include in the story. Their names are Yuu and Ryoga. I wanted to give them last names but I have no idea what to get them because I don't know jack swat about Japanese names but if you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know in the comments. One of them will have an important role in the story (I dare you to guess who) but none of them will be interacting with our main cast as of yet so for now, think of them as background characters.

Also, don't submit your own OC. This is not an OC based story. I added those two mentioned above for a reason, so if you submit one and don't see him/her in the next chapter; you've been warned. You want your OC in a Danganronpa fanfiction? Find another story and talk to _that_ author.

Alright, I think that just about settles it. This story is just like l have explained in the first author's note in the prologue and story descriptions. You're not going to see all that immediately so be please be patient and continue reading.

I knows it a little late to be saying this... but I say it anyways. Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year!

...

Oh, and this chapter will be split into multiple parts. For plot-specific reasons.

...

Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip

Chapter 1: Destination: The Friendly Waves Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa. Its own by the guys at Spike Chunsoft. If I did, I would be lighting fireworks with the entire DanganRonpa cast, chilling with the guys eating takoyaki, and look at the girls in their yukatas.

...

In a long, white hallway, walking shoulder to shoulder almost like businessmen, were two men clad in, ironically, black business suits.

The tallest of the pair was over two meters, both his shoulder-length hair and eyes the color black, dark like the night sky. He worn an expression that said "I really need a smoke," if not an impassive face. One could glance at this man just once and they would've considered him a delinquent― a well-dressed one or the leader of a dangerous crime syndicate. His name was Ryoga.

The shorter man had black, spikey hair, neatly groomed with each strand ending in fine points, giving the hairstyle a dignified look. His brown eyes were behind oval-shaped glasses, his gaze as blank as his transparent lens. He had his hands inside his pockets as he walked, a sense of calmness in each step. His name was Yuu.

If you saw these two, you might have commented about them being the next crime-fighting duo in an action-thriller film, and you would've been right. You might further speculate that they did illegal (or perhaps legal) things in the dark underworlds of cities and you would've been right again. However, neither of those thoughts would've been the case with them.

These two men were talking― not like best friends, but like men normally clad in business suits going to the same workplace: acquaintances. The subject of their conversion, however, was different than the casual ones in important businesses.

"You think that kid's gonna be alright?" Ryoga asked.

"I think so," Yuu answered back. "He was with Kirigiri, after all. She looked like something scared the shit out of her…"

"Really?" He said nonchantantly, an eyebrow raised. "I can't imagine here being scared of anything. Wasn't she supposed to be emotionless?"

"She's not emotionless; she just doesn't show how she feels in front of people."

"Like you, Sir Buzz Killington?" Ryoga remarked dryly.

"…I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Yuu glared at the man out the corner of his eye.

"Anyway, I guess that about does it for our part in helping them. The next thing, however, is finding someone to monitor his condition." Ryoga explained as they walked down the hallway.

"We don't need to do that. Kirigiri got him covered." Yuu said firmly.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't it be better to have a nurse do it?" Ryoga suggested.

"We got plenty of them, but they're all on rescue operations or tending to other people."

"What about the Survivors of Hope's Peak Academy? Wasn't one of them a nurse?" Ryoga proposed.

"She's… dealing with personal issues." He said lamely.

Ryoga raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"You ain't got nothing to worry about. Kirigiri can handle him, he's just one person. She knows how to use a first aid kit and knows when to ask someone for help," Yuu said reassuringly.

"I highly doubt that," Ryoga said bluntly.

"Don't underestimate her," Yuu advised. "Kirigiri may not be a medical professional, but she is a detective. She came across her fair share of dead bodies just like we have, so she'll know when something's wrong with him and get to work."

"That's not what I meant," he said tersely, glaring at the shorter man. "You know better than I do than to leave a disabled person with a medical professional or _anyone_ unattended. What if he wakes up and strangles the nearest thing he sees? What then?"

"Nothing like that will happen," he reassured him.

Ryoga gave him an unimpressed stare.

"Look. When I went to Hope's Peak Academy to save those kids, they didn't look like any of those people who wanted to fuck shit up for no reason. They looked like good, honest kids who wanted to live their lives in this fucked up world as best as they could. After what they've experienced, they were able to move forward because of one thing they all had: hope. Something that you've obviously given up on a long time ago."

Ryoga's eyes narrowed.

"If you've gone what they been through, then maybe you can understand them. Having people who were your friends killed when you can only view them as strangers, doubting one another for the sake of survival― Who the hell would begin to understand someone who've gone through that. Not anyone of us, that's for sure."

"That's funny, coming from someone who isn't soft-hearted," The taller man scoffed.

"Fuck you."

"I get what you're trying to say, but are you sure about those kids? We don't even know the first thing about them," Ryoga informed.

"They're survivors of Hope's Peak Academy and Ultimates," Yuu said offhandedly. "That's all we need to know."

"We don't even know what they're capable of," he pointed out.

"We know enough."

"Really?" Ryoga said, sounding unconvinced. "Perhaps you can enlighten me on a few of our members then." he asked doubtfully, his eyebrows furrowed in exasperation.

"Fire away," Yuu said.

"What is Makoto Naegi capable of?" The taller man questioned.

"He's capable of anything as long as he has that hope of his," Yuu explained objectively.

"What about Kyoko Kirigiri?"

"Becoming a great detective and much more."

"Yasuhiro?"

"If he lowers his prices and cut the bullshit, he'll have more visitors and be able to pay his debt more quickly. Though he wouldn't have any if he stayed away from gangs and mafias. But some of those people he owns money might be dead, so there's a silver lining for his fortune, I guess."

"Asahina?"

"Being a professional swimmer might not be a good idea since some of the people who can give her the opportunity could be dead. If she looks at other options and put in the effort, she'll make it in this world."

"Fukawa?"

"She's learning how to control Genocide Shou in her own unique way. If she does that and keeps on writing books, she'll have that happy life with her White Knight like she wants. By the way, I gotta get her to sign my book whenever she comes back."

"And Togami?"

"Togami can jump off a cliff," Yuu deadpanned.

Ryoga looked as if he was on the verge of a stroke. "…That's not something a member of the Future Foundation would say."

"If I ain't getting paid, then I'm not a member of anything," he responded coolly.

"Yet you wear the suit," Ryoga commented.

"Only because you guys don't have any hoodies, and all the clothes stores were already broken into and cleaned out."

"Well, for now I'll accept your judgment. But know this: You'll be taking full responsible if anything happens," Ryoga said sternly.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it..." Yuu muttered.

"Seriously. You're on your own this time. I can't help you like those other times so―

"Damnit, will you give me a break already!?" Yuu yelled angrily. "I knew what I was doing when I left Kyoko with him, so it's fine!"

"I see…" Ryoga said, finally convinced for the first time in their conversation. He nodded. "Well, I'm glad that we have an understanding of what your involvement is in this."

"Yeah, whatever..." Yuu rolled his eyes.

They continued walking down the hallway to their destination, both men not uttering a word. The only sounds were their footsteps and the soft, automatic humming of electricity powering the ceiling lights above them. The silence was so intense that an unskilled swordsman can cut through it with a blade. It didn't last long, however, when the tallest man of the pair spoke.

"So…"

"So… What?"

"Why did you choose to leave Kirigiri with Makoto instead of a nurse?" Ryoga asked curiously.

"She's known him longer than I have," Yuu simply answered. "He wouldn't have been comfortable being watched by a complete stranger, even though I was one of the people who found him and his friends. Kirigiri offered to watch him, so I just left it at that and went on about my business."

"Oh," Ryoga sounded rather surprised. "Well that was a wise decision. I thought you had dumped him on Kirigiri since you slack off most of the time, but never mind. You did the opposite of what I expected you to do."

"I don't slack off most of the time," Yuu protested. "I just take small breaks in between so I can work during my long ones." Then he registered the last part of Ryoga's sentence. "And what the hell do you mean by that last part!?"

"Nothing really," he said, smiling. "Just speaking aloud."

"Whatever," Yuu shrugged. "I still say that I'm not a slacker _and_ made a good decision leaving Kirigiri with him. And besides…."

A Cheshire smile appeared across his face.

"Those two are practically a couple. I didn't want to be around when they got all lovey-dovey and shit."

"This _again_?" Ryoga said wearily, rolling his eyes. "We already settled that matter: those two are not a couple."

" _You_ settled that matter. _I_ didn't, and I say that they're a couple," Yuu insisted.

"Oh my g― Alright. For now, let's say they're dating. Even if they are― which I'm convinced they aren't, do you have any proof to support your claim?" Ryoga requested.

"They're always alone together," he simply said.

Ryoga stared at him in disbelief. "That's it? That's your proof? They're probably just talking about where possible survivors are."

"They're _probably_ talking about which positions to use."

"They could be talking about who will be in charge of operations?"

"They _could_ be talking about who gets to be on top."

"Ugh, whatever. I still say they're not dating." Ryoga said, already sick of the conversation.

"I'm not saying you're wrong. Seriously, when are those two going to kiss and get it over with already?" Yuu said scathingly.

"Never, because they're not dating!"

"I doubt it. That stoner guy was pretty sure that Kirigiri harbored romantic feelings towards him. How can a guy like that be a clairvoyant, I don't even know? He should be called the Ultimate Stoner if you ask me."

"Did he really predict that?" Ryoga asked skeptically, not caring about the newly thought title at the moment.

"No. That's just something he told me when I asked him," Yuu explained. "What he predicted was that those two would be holding hands at some point in the future. He also said some other stuff, but it sounded like a bunch of bullshit."

"If it's something the Ultimate Clairvoyant told you, I don't think you should be ignoring it," Ryoga said thoughtfully.

"Like hell I should!" Yuu snapped. "His predictions are correct 30% of the time. That's a 70% chance of him spouting random crap, so like I said: _bullshit!_ "

Ryoga was speechless for a moment, blinking his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, Yuu had already continued.

"Since he's talking bullshit, I got a prediction of my own: By the time the Tragedy is over and done with, Naegi and Kirigiri will be married and have a son."

"I find _that_ hard to believe," Ryoga commented.

"Well, I ain't no damn fortune-teller or a clairvoyant or whatever. I still think that idiot should be called the Ultimate Stoner," Yuu remarked sardonically.

"Now that sounds like your usual self. Never thought I wouldn't hear you sound like that criminal with the huge bounty on his head."

"That guy?!" the shorter man sounded incredulous. "He's an asshole! Not on the same level as that Togami bastard, but still! I didn't try to fight against the fucking world and I don't have that big of a bounty on my head. Unlike me, he's a reckless idiot…"

"Are you kidding me?"

A loud, shrilled scream rang out from behind them, resonating the quiet hallway like a siren. Both men stopped dead in their tracks and turned towards the source of the sound.

"Ah, shit," Yuu muttered darkly.

…

"Gah!"

I jolted up from my bed, breathing heavily. My heart hammered furiously inside my chest, as if it would burst within at any moment. I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead. That was some crazy nightmare I just had.

I glanced around, surveying my surroundings. Across from me was a comfortable-looking sofa, a coffee table with a vase of flowers erect in it's center (probably serving as décor), and a display shelf. Adjacent to it, behind a sliding glass panel, was a showering room. I could definitely use one right now since I'm so sweaty. Unfortunately, it didn't have shower curtains or anything closely resembling it to give me privacy. Even with the inside fogged up with steam, any Peeping Tom would get a full show, abate a blurry one.

…

Not that I would want someone watching me shower, mind you. I always keep my room door locked whenever I'm present, and those people were less likely to be interested in the male anatomy (unless there were homosexual), so there.

Of course, I would've done this in any room I slept in. There were those crazy serial killers like Bloody Botan and Genocide Jack roaming around the streets and could break down your door at any moment. It's only natural for any normal person to have some sense of security, even if it's in the privacy of their own bedroom. On another note, this mattress is very plush and―

Wait a minute…

I pressed a hand into the softness of the bed. It was comfortable, a lot more than the crappy futon I had slept on back at home. The only comfort I had was the pillow, and it was enough to make sleeping on it tolerable.

Despite feeling like I've been hit by a speeding vehicle, I took a moment to absorb my surroundings. It didn't take long for me to notice that something was wrong.

This wasn't my room.

I would always have a poster of my favorite anime protagonist hung up on the wall and my favorite books on a bookshelf, to give my room a home feeling. You know, the kind where you're uncomfortable settling into a new home for the first time.

This room was anything far from it.

For starters, it didn't have any of this expensive furniture; not the mahogany table, not the mattress I lied on, and most certainly not the flat-screen television on top of the shelf. I also know that the shower in my room _definitely_ had shower curtains. If this was a hotel room, it would be understandable. But this place was too small, too... modest to be anything high-class like that.

It was only until I heard the sounds of splashing water from beneath the floor.

My stomach sank.

"A-A cottage?!"

That would explain why the temperature felt so cool in here. I would've been mortified if I was floating in the middle of the ocean, far from civilization with no way to contact help or to get home.

But just because I _thought_ I wasn't in that horrible situation, doesn't mean I wasn't.

I don't understand. Where was I?... How long have I been here?... How did I get here?... And―

Suddenly, my mind was filled with images of that nightmare. They were like pictures of a long, lost photo album scattered everywhere.

What was that strange dream?... And who was that girl and boy?...

It was only a moment that those thoughts were present before they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

I stared in bewilderment. Who was that knocking on my door? I wasn't expecting any visitors― or at least I wasn't before I woke up here.

There was another knock at the door, but this time, a voice came after it.

"…Hey, if you're awake in there, can you come outside? Usami wants to meet you at Jabberwock Park."

Now I'm even more confused. Who was Usami? Perhaps it was some sort of nickname or alias for someone who disliked their actual birth name. Whatever the case, it sounded pretty childish. Whoever thought of that name should have considered something better…

 _..._

 _In the Future Foundation headquarters, Alter Ego "sneezed" while in sleep mode._

" _O-Oh… Was someone thinking about me just now?" The artificial intelligence said sleepily._

...

And what this Jabberwock Park place this guy was talking about? I don't know where that is. Heck, I don't even know where I am. Perhaps whoever that is outside can give me some answers.

"Um… Are you in there?" the voice called out nervously.

"H-Hang on… I'm getting up right now."

Propping my half-lethargic body on one elbow, I swing my legs off the bed and stood up on my feet. The cold, wooden floor beneath them along with the abrupt feeling of lightheadedness didn't help me keep my balance. I nearly fell when I was walking towards the door. "Just give me a minute. I-I'm trying my best not to fall flat on my face," I say, half-joking.

"No, it's fine," the voice says reassuringly. "If you just woke up then I don't want to be anymore of a bother. I'll just tell Usami to give you more time to get ready. Just remember to go to Jabberwock Park when you're done."

With those words, the person left. I could hear their footsteps receding in the distance.

As I stood in the middle of the room in tired bewilderment (and in slight irritation because of my wasted effort of getting to the door), I thought about the person who had left recently. Just who was that anyway? They sounded like a guy― the kind that was chill on a regular basic. I haven't seen him before― because he was outside behind the front door that was closed― in my life, but I have this strange feeling that I've heard his voice before from somewhere. But when was that?... This feeling gnawed at the back of my mind like two stones rubbing against each other for friction. I think I should know that guy, but who was they?...

I shook my head in resignation. It's no use. No matter how deep I dug in my cerebral cortex, I couldn't find the answer. But this feeling that I should know wouldn't fade from my mind. The answer was just… there, but I could reach it. Why was that?

Crawling out of bed, I trudged toward the shower, pulling open the door in an even slower motion. I might as well freshen up so I don't feel like crap. Something in my half-awoke mind told me that it was going to be a long day and I would need all of the energy I could muster.

Then something occurred to me.

"How am I suppose to get to Jabberwock Park?"

As if on cue, the loud, quick sounds of approaching footsteps was heard from outside, rising in volume until they stopped at the front door.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" The voice said abruptly, making me jump slightly. "You probably don't know how to get to Jabberwock Park, do you?"

"U-Um… No," I answered, trying to prevent my heart from leaping out of my chest. Was this guy trying to give me a heart attack?!

"I thought so," the voice said. "I'm just going to slide this note with the directions under your door." A white slip of paper did just that. "There's a map I've drawn on the back in case the directions are confusing so try not to get lost, okay?"

I stared at the note on the floor. Now I don't have to worry about directions. At least, for a while. If I needed to go somewhere else after meeting this "Usami" person, hopefully the map provided by the person outside would help me navigate this… place.

Then something else occurred to me.

"Why can't you take me there?"

There was only silence. Only the sounds of the gentle, ocean waves could be heard. Don't tell me this guy…

"H-Hey! Are you still there?"

"Huh? O-Oh, right! Sorry, I was preoccupied thinking about something else at the moment," The voice explained, then it laughed awkwardly. "I heard what you said but I don't think that would be the option right now…"

"Okay, so why can't you?" I asked.

"Well, the thing is…" the voice trailed off. "I could take you with me… but I can't."

I stared at the door in bewilderment. "…Huh?"

"Maybe that was a bit confusing. What I mean is, I would show you the way but I don't think I have time to do that," the voice explained. "She'll get mad if I don't get back to the others soon."

I was even more confused than I already was. Why would Usami get at this person for being late for… whatever they were doing. Didn't she send him as a messenger? Maybe she was that one of those type of girls that was aggressive on the outside but caring on the inside. What were they called again? Tsu…deres?...

…

 _At Jabberwock Park, a red-haired girl taking pictures of a petite, blonde-haired girl, clad in an elegant, traditional dancer's robe dancing, sneezed._

" _Whoa. Did I catch a cold?" she mused aloud._

" _Is something wrong, Big Sis Mahiru?" The blonde-haired girl asked, ceasing her movements and walking towards her with a worried expression._

" _No, it's nothing," she reassured her, patting the petite's girl head, making her smile. "I just sneezed, that's all. Nothing you need to worry about."_

…

Before I could speak, the voice outside interrupted me.

"Well, I think it's about time I got going. A pathetic piece of trash like me can't keep a girl waiting," it said casually. "Oh, and in case I forget anything else, my name is Nagito Komaeda. I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student. You're going to be meeting other Ultimates, so I thought I might get my introduction out of the way."

"I see…" I say. This person was kind enough to check up on me, give me directions, and introduce himself, even though he really didn't need to. I might as well return the courtesy. "Well, my name is Hajime Hinata. It's nice to meet you too, Nagito."

"Hajime, huh…" the voice named Nagito Komaeda mused. "That's a good name, a lot better than my worthless one. The sound of it is practically brimming with hope. I'm looking forward to working with you during this field trip."

Despite the way this guy had insulted himself during his introduction, I found myself nodding in agreement. Perhaps it was the way that he took the time out of his day to greet a complete stranger (and even more to give me directions), but I felt that I was able to know a bit more about Nagito.

At that moment, something… "beeped".

"Hey, did something just beep?!" I say, slightly terrified. "Wh-What a weird sound…"

I hastily turned around, glancing at my surroundings left and right for the source. That strange, mechanical sound just now definitely came from behind me. I searched until my eyes landed on…

A tablet.

It looked like one of those flat, expensive devices that gamer geeks have to play their fantasy card games on or the ones secretaries use to create or cancel meetings for company C.E. O's. The device itself looked professional in every work aspect, except for one thing…

The cutesy, pixelated title labeled, "e-Handbook" on the screen, with a pink and white rabbit dressed in a magical girl's outfit as the cherry on top.

"…"

Any credibility of this thing being professional had diminished.

I slowly picked up the… thing, half-expecting it to bring me to the main menu with some pre-installed apps, but instead…

A list of even more pixelated text, now with their own unique colors, scrolled down on the right side of the screen. Strangely, the cutesy title from earlier was now on top right of the screen.

I didn't know that things that and no professional credibility could lose even more.

"Wh-What the hell is this?" I asked. "It's like a PDA or a smartphone… Wh-Why is something like this on the table?"

"It sounds like you found your E-Handbook," Nagito surmised. I didn't know he was still here. Didn't he have somewhere to be? "Usami was passing them out earlier, but you were still unconscious when she started so we carried you back to your cottage and left it on the table for you to find when you wake up," he explained. "You should've got something called a Hope Fragment if you heard that beeping sound. Usami mentioned something about this being a part of the field trip, but I'll let her explain it to you."

Then Nagito gasped from outside.

"…Whoops. I've said too much. I better go before she gets angry. Luckily, I'll get off with just a warning."

With those words, the voice of Nagito Komaeda strolled away from the cottage's doorstep.

A moment of silence passed before my brain began processing this information. The voice named Nagito Komaeda had said that I was going to meet others like him. Were they perhaps Ultimates as well? He did mention something about it during their earlier conversation so that must have been true, right? If so, would they be anything like that guy?

I dismissed the thought. The more I thought about how the other Ultimates were before their first impression, the less time I'll have getting to Jabberwock Park. Nagito didn't mention anything like a time limit, but still, punctuality was a good sign of character, and so was perfect hygiene.

Smiling to myself, I headed toward the shower to freshen up. Maybe those Ultimates wouldn't be so bad. Mind you, I never thought that they were bad people, I just knew that every person has their unique personality so some might respond differently to a greeting, a lesson I've learn during my year as a…

As a…

A sharp, pang of dizziness traverse throughout my cranium. My vision blurred and I felt my legs fold under me abruptly. I hastily grabbed the shower door handle to prevent myself from falling flat on the floor, using my right knee as a sort of cushion to break my fall. I was almost kneeling at this point before the pain rushed over me.

I placed a hand over my head, the one that wasn't currently helping me keep my balance. It was only for a moment until the pain subsided and my vision became clear. I was breathing heavily despite not doing any sort of physical activity and I could barely control it. What was wrong with me today? Did I contract some sort of illness? Perhaps that was the reason I was in this cottage. So I can recover from whatever I had.

I dismissed those thoughts. No. I shouldn't be worrying myself over such things. My priority now is getting to Jabberwock Park to meet this Usami person. But before I do…

I stood up and flung open the shower door.

I needed a shower. Maybe that would help relieve me of this splitting headache somewhat.

…

Makoto Naegi believed in a lot of things; teamwork, his friends, Santa Claus, a bright future, hope in said future, heck; he might as well have the title Ultimate Optimistic. If the title existed and Hagakure haven't given it such a… creative name, he would felt inclined to accept it. Makoto believed in a lot and with determination equal as his beliefs, he would work towards them until they are achieved and would be known for them because the Ultimate Lucky Student who became Ultimate Hope had done it.

But he draws the line at being recognized as the "Ultimate Everything".

He was prepared to be known as a survivor of the Tragedy once society has returned to its natural order, and give a speech on national television about the people who survived the aftermath of said event…

But nothing could have prepared him for this…

Snuggled up against him arm, like a child with a stuffed animal during their bedtime, was _her_.

He thought she'd died― they all did when the mastermind of that horrible game choose to make an example of her. It was only after sacrificing their other friends that they discovered the truth behind it all and was able to overcome that despair.

In the end, the one that they had thought for dead was the one responsible for their despair and was crushed by the overwhelming feeling. She died from the one thing that she lived for, wanted to fill entire world with, and wanted to feel for herself…

Or so he had thought.

Clad in lacy, black lingerie, her beautiful, long strawberry hair gleamed in the light. Her smooth, porcelain skin looked as if were delicate to the touch. She stared at him with gorgeous, blue eyes and wore a smile like a benevolent goddess. She was the person who turned their friends against one another― doubted one another, killed each other ― the mastermind behind the School Life of Mutual Killing and the Tragedy, events that he would never forget for as long as he lived…

Junko Enoshima.

"Heya, Naegi-kun~!" She said melodically. "Long time no see!"

Whenever a person witnesses the impossible― walking on water, turning a ball of flame into a flock of birds, splitting the sea in two― their reaction towards it would be breathtaking, or something close to it. It was as if their brain were a moving vehicle and they slammed on the break pedal during traffic. That sort of feeling.

Makoto's situation, however, was entirely different. Every blood cell in his body screamed at him to run away as fast as he could, call for help, and never look back. But try as he might, his body wouldn't obey him. His brain was sending the signals, but his body wouldn't make the connection. Makoto Naegi was shocked, scared, and utterly paralyzed at the beauty that was beside him, one that was known as the True Ultimate Despair.

Makoto tried to open his mouth, perhaps to express his shock or see if the girl next to him was an illusion created from a lack of sleep. That girl, however, must've read his mind because she giggled like a schoolgirl discussing with her friends about one's secret crush.

"Aww, what's wrong?" she said in sickeningly, sweet voice. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Almost as if you saw some despairingly, lost soul risen from the dead. But don't you worry…"

She gently caressed his trembled face with her soft hand, then leaned toward his ear and whispered in a soft, seductive tone.

"Big Sis Junko will take good care of you."

Her hot breath brushing against his ear made all the hairs on his body stand on end. He couldn't believe it― he didn't want to believe it, but the steady rhythm of a heartbeat pounding against his arm, the softness of her breasts inconveniently rubbing against said arm, the smell of lavender, her red fingernails now lightly teasing his chest― Wait, what?!

He needed help. That's right. Someone had to be nearby. Hagakure slept on the same floor he did, all after. If he screamed loud enough, maybe that would get his attention or someone else's. It _had_ to.

Makoto opened his mouth―

But a swift hand covered it.

"You know it's a bit early for you to be calling for help like one of those despairingly-doomed teenagers in one of those Hollywood-horror films," Junko said, glaring at him with an annoyed expression before reverting it to a softer one. "We haven't even done anything worth screaming for yet, and you're already shaking..."

Thoughts raced thought Makoto's mind as Junko stared at him in amusement. How did she get in Future Foundation headquarters undetected? How did she get in his room? Why was she laying in his bed with him? All of those questions he didn't have answers for― ones that were unlikely to have the answers he needed. But there was one question that outranked them all…

How was she alive?

As if reading his mind again, Junko answered him. "Oh right, you're probably wondering why I'm still alive. Well…" she trailed off, smiling deviously.

Then, moving like a swift assassin, released her hold on Makoto's arm and moved on top of him in a straddling position and the same motion, pinned both of his wrists down on either side with her hands. There wasn't a moment for Makoto to process what had transpired before Junko said...

"That's none of your fuckin' business!"

Makoto just stared at the girl above him, his mind still attempting to grasp the horrifying situation he was in. Junko, however, took that opportunity to speak.

"I'm not going to lie to you and say that I've planned this. Believe me, I wanted to feel every last bit of despair I felted on that day― and still do, but I suppose Satan didn't want this girl in their domain, and it's not like Heaven was going to open their pearly gates for me so I guess I'm stuck here in this place, forced to live out my days forever wandering in a world that I've destroyed in the despair that I've wanted…" she said dreamily, her cheeks flushed pink and eyes closed in ecstasy as her hands roamed over her body. It didn't help Makoto keep whatever remaining rationally he had, why; with her unintentionally (?) rubbing her what-not on his what-zit, and was she… _drooling?!_

"Then I found you."

Junko stared down at Makoto. The ecstasy-filled expression she had a moment ago was replaced with one of pure hatred. The moment their eyes met, he quickly averted his gaze to somewhere― anywhere in the room that wasn't a terrifyingly, attractive girl in sexy lingerie.

That girl in particular, however, must have gotten fed up with him acting like a virgin who saw a naked (half-naked in this situation) girl for the first time. Junko cupped his cheeks with her hands and forced them upwards so that his eyes look forward. _At_ _her_.

"Out of all of the friends here, you were the one person I wanted to see the most." Junko said. "Hagakure was probably off somewhere smoking that despairingly-addictive weed, Fukawa is in Towa City so she's out's, Byakuya's was being Byakuya, and Kirigiri was standing outside your room and looked like someone died." Her eyes widen. "Oh, right. Her father. The former headmaster. I almost forgot about him." She smiled mischievously. "By the way, did you managed to get together with her. Have you popped her cherry yet?"

Makoto didn't answer. He just stared. Junko was somehow able to read his mind or is secretly an empath. She'll figure out the answer in a―

"Wait, you haven't?" She looked almost taken aback. "And here I thought surviving the School Life of Mutual Killing and the training those black suits put you through made you more of a man." She sighed, shaking her head wearily. "I almost forgotten how much of an herbivore man you were. At the rate you're going, Togami might get with her before you do and you're going to make a lot of Naegiri fans upset. Such despair..."

Despite her last comment, she smiled at him. "But I guess I shouldn't have expected too much. You growing in other areas besides that damn optimism of yours would've been despairingly boring for the reunion. After all…"

She pulled on Naegi's cheeks, stretching the flesh like a rubber band before releasing it. The retracting flesh hit either side of his jaw with a "smack" sound and pain that followed burnt like fire, snapping him out of his stupor.

"You're the one who did this to me!"

"Wha…?!" Makoto sputtered, attempting to assimilate what had transpired.

"You know, Makoto…" Junko said. "I was getting really sick of your optimism back at the academy. Always talking about how you and your friends should stick together to defeat the mastermind, friends should trust each other, and your oh-so despairingly hopeful motivational speeches."

She snarled, revealing her perfectly-aligned teeth, gleaming like pearls. It the situation were different and Junko were smiling, Makoto would have thought she had a beautiful smile.

"Every time you ranted on and on about that damn hope of yours, it pissed me off that I wanted to tear my own hair out! Hell, if it didn't mean listening to you talk, I would've killed you! I _could've_ killed you! If it didn't mean ruining the whole point of the game, I would've killed my own fucking self! The School Life of Mutual Killing would've went on forever with you bastards trapped forever for all I cared!"

Makoto closed his eyes out of instinct. Whatever Junko was going to do to him, she'd better do it quickly. It was not as if he could resist her either; she had the better position and his body wasn't listening to him. Moreover, she could have a weapon hidden somewhere and he had no idea where is was and she was sure to get to it before he could react― she had already demonstrated that when she pinned him down. He could only hope that his possible death was quick and painless.

However, nothing happened. No pain, no blood leaving his body― nothing. Makoto slowly opened one eye and expected to see the edge of a knife or the barrel of a gun pointed at his face. Instead, he saw Junko staring back at him with the playful expression from earlier. She must have waited for him to open his eyes because she continued speaking.

"But just because I failed at see you fall into despair back then, doesn't mean I won't this time. Once I've finished doing what I came here to do here, I'm going to enjoy watching what you and your friends worked hard for crumble down and the lovely shade of despair on your faces when it does. And once I'm done with that…"

Junko pinned down Naegi's wrists again with her hands, kneeling down until there was barely any proximity between their noses.

Then her eyes fluttered open, revealing pools of blue, her irises in thin, demonic slits. All the blood in Makoto's body froze when he stared into them. They were the eyes of a predator staring down at its prey― and that unfortunate target was him.

"I'll be coming for you," She whispered. "So be a good boy until then..."

With those words, she parted away from him and returned to her straddling position.

"Oh, and by the way," Junko added. "Don't tell anyone what happened here. We wouldn't want people getting the wrong idea about me. I can already see the headlines now: _Junko Enoshima's Erotic Escapades with the Ultimate Hope! More about this shocking scandal on Page 7!_ " That would've given me such despair…" she said. "I know where you sleep, I know where your friends are, and know where you keep those magazines of me hidden, and I know what you're thinking, so don't. Even. **Try it**." She emphasized those last words with a cold, hard monotone that threaten to kill.

As if it were second nature, Junko stuck her index and middle fingers into her cleavage and pulled out…

A stick.

It was small and had a silvery, metallic coating over it. Was it some kind of weapon? His knowledge from the training told him that it didn't like anything that could inflict harm. Contrarily, since it could fit in a… convenient place without being noticeable then that possibility couldn't be ignored. Now, as he was analyzing a potential weapon that could be his possible death, Junko was rotating its lower half and a red, pointy stick was rising out of it.

It was lipstick.

Makoto mentally slapped himself. Of course. What else would it be? As horrible as Junko is, she was still the Ultimate Fashionista. She would still want to look beautiful in the eyes of her fans― even if most of them are dead. But why use that here in a place like this? There weren't any cameramen to capture her appearance, no fashion shows, no photoshoots; nothing of the sort― not in this broken world. So why was she now applying that red cosmetic to her lips, puckering them, and smiling at him like someone who was going to pull the biggest prank in the world. Why would she―

Realization hit Makoto like a speeding vehicle.

Oh.

 _Oh._

 _Oh_ …

 _Ohhh_ …

 _Oh_ …

 _Oh._

Oh.

Oh God.

 _Oh God_.

 _OH GOD!_

Makoto knew he had to leave and go somewhere― anywhere that didn't have this girl in it. He felt feeling returned to her body at last. Was that perhaps of the sudden burst of adrenaline? The rules of biology didn't matter to him at the moment. He could move, and that was all that mattered.

Makoto bolted up from the bed―

Junko pinned him with a hand wrapped around his neck, cackling gleefully as she did.

"Don't go, Makoto-kun~" Junko said in fake sad, sing-sang voice. "We're just about to have fun. Did I tell you earlier?"

She fluttered her eyelashes, and when then opened, her irises were thin, demonic slits.

"We haven't even done anything worth screaming for yet."

At that moment, the remaining rationality holding back his fear was gone.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" 

….

 **To be continued…**

...

A/N: Don't you just love it when the person you thought was the culprit turned out to be someone didn't expect? Of course you don't. That ruins the fun, or in this story's case, it creates an unexplainable plot hole(s) that makes you wanna find the author and beat the crap out of them.

Fortunately, I'm not one of those guys. Rest assured, Junko's appearance in this chapter is not something that I just thought off the fly. In fact, she has a very important role in the story so don't drop angry comments saying, "That's impossible!" "She not alive," or "Explain." All of your questions will be answered but I'm not going to reveal them right away. You'll have to continue reading the story, form your own conclusions, and once the answer shows itself in a chapter(s), you can give yourself a cookie or a fist pump. For now, you'll have to debate it among themselves in a forum or some other form of communication― whichever you prefer.

Okay. I done with that so let's get to the real author's note. What did you guys think about the OCs, Yuu and Ryoga? Was their first impression good or bad? Was there something you like? Was there something you didn't like? Let me know in the comments so I can improve on them among other things. Also, don't just talk about the OCs, let me know how I did on this chapter so I can improve on future updates as well. There's a comment box and button for a reason so get to typing up that helpful criticism, guys and gals.

On a side note, I think I've characterized Junko's actions in this chapter as those being done by the Ultimate Slut than the Ultimate Fashionista, so feel free to comment on that too.

In the next chapter, Hajime will be meeting some of the other Ultimates and you might get to see Junko have her fun with the Ultimate Lucky Student. What bonds will be made on Jabberwock Island? Will Hajime's first impression on the Ultimate go well? Will Junko have her way with our Ultimate Hope? Or will the two dudes in suits stop her before she gets the chance? Find out in the next chapter whenever this Mellow Dias isn't piled underneath with research papers.

Until next chapter, everyone!

...

And Happy New Years!


	3. Chapter 1: The Friendly Waves Part2

A/N: This chapter was finished on January 14, 2016; two weeks after this story's previous update. I was rather impressed about how fast I wrote this, but because I forgotten to do the editing process, I had to delay uploading it for a while. Five days later, I was finally finished and drank my favorite brand of soda (Sprite) to celebrate and you're reading this now like readers with good patience. Thumbs up you guys for the support; you know who you are.

Before you start reading, I feel like I should give you all a heads about what you're going to see in this chapter. Some of the stuff you're about to read may look a little... clunky. My Microsoft Word program decided to eat s*** so if there are any annoying grammatical errors you spot, it's not my fault and I apologize in advance. Besides that, there are some... things that might be disturbing in certain parts of the story as you read but rest assure, they're there for a reason. This Mellow Dias don't put things in this story― or any story― just to take the p*** out of a lime.

If you guys read the author's note at the end of the previous chapter, then you know what to expect. To be honest, I was actually kind of scared when I uploaded this because of a certain part in this chapter. Guess it correctly and you get a cookie... a delicious, internet cookie.

Oh, and before I forget, there will a joke that doesn't belong in this story from another anime. I just had to put in this chapter for this bit between― No, _let them read it Mellow Dias_. Don't spoil it for from the people trying to read and just get on with the story already.

With that said, please enjoy this along with the disclaimer and warning below. This chapter is going to be a helluva lot longer than the last one so grab a snack or something.

...

Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip

Chapter 2: The Friendly Waves Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa. Its own by the guys at Spike Chunsoft. If I did, I would redeem Makoto Naegi into a total badass like Dante for Devil May Cry.

And now for the warning.

 **Warning: The following chapter contains mild to strong language, sexual themes, lame sneeze jokes, awkward moments, and possible OOC-ness. This is all in bold letters to emphasize how serious this author is about the list of things mentioned above.**

...

 **Part 1**

After enjoying a hot shower, which was way longer than I should've, and taking care of my personal hygiene, I felt refreshed for the first time since I awoke. Waking up on the wrong side of the bed happened to me plenty of times before, but not from having difficulty sleeping. I just couldn't fathom this situation I was in. Not a dire one in my perspective, but strange nonetheless.

A loud gurgling noise emitted from my stomach. I was so preoccupied with thinking about all of this that I almost forgotten about the hunger pangs that I've woken up with. Why did the pain make itself noticeable at this moment? I swallowed the lump in my throat to assuage my hunger. Going to Jabberwock Park was already on my mental "to-do" list, finding a restaurant or food stand to fill my stomach in the meantime would be good. I should talk to this "Usami" person about getting a mini-fridge in this cottage sometime today when I rendezvous her at this Jabberwock Park place Nagito talked about. As the saying goes, "You can't think on an empty stomach."

…

If I could remember my talent, it wouldn't be the Ultimate Comedian, that's for sure.

…

 **Part 2** __

Maneuvering around the cottages was easier than I expected despite the painfully, written directions Nagito had given me. That guy should consider taking calligraphy lessons sometimes. This must have been the sleeping area because there were other cottages that looked exactly like the one I was in. If Nagito was telling the truth about there being other people here, then they should be separated based on gender just like any regular high-school dormitory. Sleeping arrangements was something for me to think about on a later note. Instead, I made my way toward the area on the map that read "Hotel Mirai".

The first thing I saw was a large, rectangular pool that stretched wide enough to reach either side of the concrete. It split the current pathway I was on off into two different directions, like a fork in the road. Expensive bench chairs with even more expensive parasols were neatly arranged around the water container, as if they were seats for people to witness some kind of spectacle. I almost- _almost_ , imagined myself lounging in one of those chairs, underneath the shade, a martini in one hand and a beautiful woman in the other (or maybe both arms) like that secret agent in those spy-thriller movies. Not like that would ever happen, but the thought entered my mind nevertheless. I walked around the pool, carefully watching my step so I didn't fall in.

Although the map's horrible illustrations by Nagito depicted the hotel as a ran-down building, its external appearance genuinely wasn't what I expected. The building stood two- perhaps three stories high. The pure, white color of the outer walls were like a fortress with every other aspect closely resembling a high-class establishment. The entrance was less evocative than one at some business conglomerate. The sign on top of the entrance's roof supported by two stone pillars, otherwise, is a professional thing printed in distinct, huge metallic letters rather than a piece of calligraphy attached to a wooden plank on display. It looked like a very nice place, one with a working air conditioner and hopefully, some food; the latter being the most important. I walked through the glass doors.

The hotel's lobby wasn't empty, but instead filled with grand furniture and shelves that could have passed off the entire place off as an expensive living room of a mansion. On the left side of the lobby were grand chairs neatly arranged around mahogany tables. Across from them, set on another shelf, was a… t.v? It looked like one of those old-fashioned models the Americans had during the Industrial Revolution, but if was anything far from it. The color was a hideous, bright yellow and its shape was oddly deformed on one side. A few feet away, near the entrance where I stood, was a bar. The shelves were fully stocked, containing various exotic liquors. I vaguely recognized one of the bottles as that popular brand of liquor seen on commercials with that bearded, debonair gentleman. The brewery's advertising campaign was called "The Most Fascinating Dude in the World".

Needless to say, this room was the textbook example of a high-class establishment.

Now if I can just find the cafeteria, I can grab me a quick bite to eat and head on over to Jabberwock Park. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be an easy task at the moment. It wasn't impossible for me to search this hotel from top to bottom for an eatery, although not having as much energy from earlier even after taking a hot shower was certainly a factor. It was just-

There were repeated tapping sounds somewhere.

The noise…

More tapping.

Made it _really_ hard…

An electronic voice emitted loudly, followed by more tapping.

To _focus!_

Where the hell was that noise coming from?!

Exasperated, I searched for the source of the disturbance and my gaze landed on―

A short, pink-haired girl.

She was just a few feet away from me on my right, playing on some old-fashioned gaming console, jiggling the joystick (no pun intended) and mashing the buttons as if she were one with the machine. She seemed intently focused on fighting some blonde man clad in a red karategi firing blue energy projectiles on the screen. Video games wasn't a particularly fancied hobby of mine, but even a normal guy like me can tell just by looking at her play that she was good. _Very_ good.

Where did this girl come from, anyway? I didn't immediately notice her when I came in here. My eyes were more focused on examining the new environment. My peripheral vision wasn't bad, but it wasn't exceptionally sharp either. Perhaps that explained why I was seeing her now at this moment. Was my hunger blocking my sense of hearing? Or…

I shook my head. No. That didn't matter right now. What did matter, however, was that this girl was the culprit making all of that noise.

I should probably leave her be and go on about my business. If I don't eat anything soon, my other senses beside my hearing might begin to fail me.

However, instead of moving on to find something edible, I couldn't stop staring at this girl. Looking like a possible pervert was the last thing on my mind, but I still couldn't figure out why didn't I notice her any sooner.

Come to think of it, who was she? Perhaps she was a student from another school. I like to think of myself as a normal person going on with my life while avoiding weird situations and anyone associated with them. But if seeing this girl playing video games as a sort of escape from reality, then who to say that she wasn't doing the same.

Mustering up all of my coward, I cleared my throated and tried to get her attention.

"Um… Excuse me?" I called out.

The pink-haired girl didn't seem to hear me because she continued playing on the machine as if I wasn't here at all. Maybe if I was a little louder this time.

"Um, excuse me?" I called again.

Same result. It was like she was in another world other than this one. I don't know if she was doing it intentionally, but her silent treatment was starting to piss me off. If I was going to get her to notice me, then I needed to rethink my approach. This called for something drastic, the level that any normal human being would turn their head towards.

It might ruin my first impression in this girl's image, but at this rate, my ever-increasing feeling of hunger and anger had taken over what little rationality I had at that moment. Closing my eyes, I inhaled a deep breath, then after a moment of letting my lungs absorb all of my negative emotions until it reached their zenith, I opened my eyes, and released all of it through my mouth like a fire-breathing dragon.

"HEY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

"Huh?..."

That must've gotten her attention because the hands that were rapidly playing on the gaming console suddenly frozen in place. The little, white pixelated ship that she was controlling a moment ago to fire at the colorful aliens floating above it was exploded by one of their bullets. The words "GAME OVER" promptly flashed in red letters as if telling her, "Your life sucks and has no meaning" while dramatic music played in the background.

The pink-haired girl just stared at the screen in silence.

"Alright, now that I've gotten your attention, mind if I ask you a few questions?" I asked.

No response came from the girl. She just _stared_ at the game's demonstration. The countdown timer on the screen for her to insert another coin (or press the START button to continue if they were inserted beforehand) and continue from the current stage had ended long ago. She must have decided to stop playing her game so she could answer my question without any unnecessary distractions. How convenient.

"Anyways, I wanted to ask you where the nearest cafeteria was so I can eat something before I went to Jabberwock Park," I say. "By the way, do you think you can give me directions because I can't read this guy's handwriting. It's really crappy so I was wondering if you could show me around if that's okay with you."

No answer. She just kept staring at the screen.

"U-Um… Are you okay?" I asked, slightly nervous. "Did I do something wrong? Okay, I'll admit that interrupting you was kind of my fault but I'm tired, I'm hungry, I don't know what's going and I really need some…"

Before I could finish my sentence, the girl suddenly turned to face me.

"…Answers?" I finished with lowered confidence.

The girl that was completely absorbed in playing her game a few seconds was now looking at me with angrily with her cheeks puffed out. I might've been slightly intimidated by this girl's if the expression she had at the moment didn't made her look kind of cute. Called me a pervert, but that's what I truly thought.

"Hey, don't you know that disturbing someone is rude." The pink-haired girl says, irritated. "If this were a video game, you would've ruined a perfectly good chance to raise the first flag. That would've been really bad if you wanted to go on the Lovers or Best Friends route."

Raising flags? What was this girl babbling about? I've played a lot of video games when I was still in primary school but I never heard of any gaming terminology like that before. A social simulator, maybe?

"Hey, are you still deciding on what response to select," she asked impatiently. "In some games, responses are timed so you won't have all day to think about it. But in a situation like this, the best response is to apologize. That way, you can create stability in flag building while avoiding an early game over."

"O-Oh right," I say, not sure how to respond. For some reason, this girl was applying video game logic with real-life situations, but for now, I'll just have to roll it. "I'm sorry for messing up your game. I was trying to talk to you, but you couldn't hear me."

"It's fine," the girl says reassuringly. "I know you didn't do it on purpose, but I forgive you." She smiles at me. "See? Now you don't have to worry about losing that flag from early, but reaching the Lovers ending is going to be a bit harder from now on."

I don't know what this girl meant by that, but from the sound of it, she forgives me. Somehow.

"Anyways, weren't you going to ask me something or did you wanted to stare at me? That last option may cause you to lose that flag from earlier." She says knowingly.

It wasn't my originally intention, but I couldn't help but to stare at this girl. Her short light pink hair, her pink eyes, and her pale skin were all beautiful, a far cry from the preferred gleaming appearance from supermodels. I didn't notice it at first, but she had a hairclip attached to one of the bangs in her hair. It looked exactly like the pixelated fighter ship that exploded on the screen just moments ago. Seeing it again made me feel a pang of guilt in my chest. All in all, this girl was cute.

But yet, as a continued to ogle this girl like an idiot (or pervert at this point), I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of nostalgia. It was the same feeling from my earlier encounter from Nagito. I feel like should know this person, but I don't who they were. I've never seen this girl before in my life but it _felt_ like I did. Somewhere...

But who was she?… And where did I meet her?...

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light and images that I've never had with this girl filled my mind. It was like seeing a slow slideshow of black and white pictures behind a blurry pair of glasses.

…

The pink-haired girl was standing beside me reading a book of some kind. It was only for a moment until there was another flash of light and another image showed the same girl from before but she was wearing a… white, two-piece swimsuit?!

This is a girl I've just meet, whose name is unknown to me and I'm already having… thoughts about her. I'm very disappointed in myself.

None of these memories didn't look familiar, but for some reason they were there. There was another flash of light and with it, another image came after it.

That one took me by surprise.

There was that same girl in the previous images, but now she was hugging someone. Who was that? I could only see their back, but judging by their average build and how that girl's chin could barely reach over their shoulder, it was probably a guy. I didn't know who he was, but when I look at him closely, he looked familiar. _Very_ familiar...

That's when it clicked.

 _Is that… me?!..._

I couldn't believe it― I didn't want to believe, but my eyes weren't lying to me. The plain, spiky hairstyle, the shoes, the weird-looking tie, and the face― _my_ face. That was no doubt in my mind that that guy was definitely me.

But why was he― why was _I_ there? Why was I hugging a girl I didn't even know? And why did she look so... content about it?

Before I could delve on those questions any further, there was yet again, another flash of light and that image disappeared along with the rest of those lingering thoughts.

…

I released a breath of air I didn't realized I was holding. Cold sweat that wasn't there a moment had suddenly formed on my forehead and my heart was beating inside my chest like a drum. What the hell was that?! A premonition!? I wasn't psychic― or at least, I didn't know it yet― but what I just saw wasn't something that couldn't be considered... normal.

No. Calm down, Hajime. You're just exhausted. Maybe I'm starting to hallucinate from a lack of food. Yeah, that had to be it. Seeing this girl just made me a little hungry is all. But why would seeing a total stranger elicit those kinds of feelings? Normally, when someone is desperately starving, they would start seeing normal objects and people as edible food products. I, on the other hand, see images of a girl who was unknown to me.

That last image of her hugging me was still fresh in my mind.

Just who was she? Those memories I had of her were alien to me, but they weren't just created from meeting her the first time, were they? However, as much as I wanted to consider them illusions, my senses didn't deceive me. I _knew_ that they were real. I _felt_ them.

"Hey hey, can you hear me?" The pink-haired girl called out. "I know it was rude of me ignoring you earlier, but returning the same treatment is kind of rude itself. That's bad for flag building, you know?" 

"Huh…?" I gasped. I didn't even realize how deep in thought I was that I almost forgot that I wasn't alone here. That girl in those images was still staring at me with that same angry, puffy-faced expression from earlier. Now that I've seen it again, it felt as if I've seen a hundred times before. Whoever this girl is was someone I know. But when? And where? If I just knew her name, then that would make finding the answer a lot easier…

And, like my lips were on auto-pilot, I spoke her name.

"Chiaki…" I say quietly.

"Hm?" The pink-haired girl looked rather surprised by the name I've just announced. "That's my name, but how did you know that? This is the first time we've met and I've never seen you before..." The girl I called "Chiaki" puts a hand under her chin in a thinking manner. "Well to be more accurate, _you_ haven't seen me before. So how did you know my name?"

"I… Um…"

I had no idea how to respond to that. I can't just say I knew it otherwise she'll think that I'm some sort of stalker. Contrarily, I don't think that's even possible, considering that I've just met her a few minutes ago.

"Your responds aren't timed, but you're going to lose that flag if you don't give me a believable answer."

"I… I…"

Dammit. I can't think of anything. Come on, Hajime. How can you convince a girl that you're never meet before but somehow knew her name without sounding like a creep? Think. _Think._ _ **Think!**_

...

Crap! I can't think of anything!

The best thing to do in situations like this is to be truthful. However, because this girl didn't seem to be the type of person who would believe what would sound like an incredible lie even though it's the truth, I'll have to be careful on how I approach her. It may sound a bit strange, but she'll have to believe it until I can properly figure this out myself. Then again, we're in the middle of God-knows-where and on a field trip to collect Hope Fragments, so who's to say that she wouldn't?

As reasonable as that latter option sounds, I'm not going to follow through with it and risk looking like any more of an idiot than I already am every second I stand here in silence. So I opted on the first one...

And that was being honest.

"I don't know…" I swallowed air into my lungs. "I just looked at you and… something in my brain told that you were Chiaki," I say. "I can't really put it in words. Believe me when I tell you that I'm not a stalker or anything like that, but it felt like…"

"You just knew?" Chiaki chimed in.

"Y-Yeah. Exactly. You understand what I'm trying to say, right?" I asking, feeling hopeful.

"Hmm…" Chiaki hummed thoughtfully, as if debating over it. I don't know how I can be more convincing than that, but I really want her to believe what I said.

After a moment, she looked at me and spoke.

"Well... You don't seem to be a bad person and your explanation does sound kind of suspicious. But I believe you." She says.

"Really?!" I exclaimed. Perhaps I was wrong about Chiaki not believing me. In fact, she took my explanation quite easily. Maybe she just takes everything in stride?

"Your reasoning for knowing my name still sounds strange, but I don't think you're lying. You do kind of remind me of this character in this video game I'm playing who can do something similar. But you're not on his level…" She paused. "I think."

I'm not sure if I should be relieved or offended by those last words but I don't think she did it on purpose. Regardless, Chiaki believed me, for now at least until I can properly tell her. But when will that be? For all I know, we could be here for a week and we wouldn't form any sort of connection at all. But that last part about that guy in a video game…

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of my stomach.

I felt the heat rush up to my cheeks. That's right, I was trying to ask Chiaki where could I get something to eat…

"You must be hungry. You were still asleep so you haven't eaten yet, right?" she asked.

"Yeah. I was going to ask you about that. Is there a restaurant around here somewhere?"

"Oh. Well, if you're looking for the cafeteria, it's upstairs. Just go up those stairs in front of you and you're there. Breakfast is already over, but lunch just started ten minutes ago. There's an unlimited buffet and everything's free so you can eat as much as you like." Chiaki explained kindly.

"Got it. Thanks." I say.

"Though there might not be anything left because someone might've already eaten all the leftovers…" she added. "I think."

...

 _At the beach, Akane Owari sneezed as she dodged another punch from Nekomaru Nidai while Ibuki Mioda cheered them on from a distance._

...

"Noted." I say. I've only meet Chiaki for ten minutes and I already thought that those two words were her trademark catchphrase. But I didn't care about that now. My mouth watered at the thought of food and my legs were already moving towards the stairs.

I was about to take the first step when I glanced back at the girl I was about to leave behind. Chiaki was looking at me, a hand over her chest and wearing a smile that said, "Go on without me. I'll be fine," but my head said "No, I shouldn't leave her here,". My stomach can eat itself for all I care, I'm not going to blow her off like this. Besides, I haven't even introduced myself and I still want to know who she is, even though I already know her first name.

"I almost forgot, I haven't even introduced myself," I say, turning to face Chiaki. "My name is Hajime Hinata. It's nice to meet you…"

"Hm?... Oh, right, introductions. You seem to already know my name for some reason but I can still do that." She says. "I'm Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer. Video games are my hobby, and I'm a fan of all genres. Nice to meet you, too…"

This girl may have been focused on her game that anything else, but she wasn't trying to blow me off on purpose or be rude. She was just doing what the Ultimate Gamer does. How can she play video games without noticing what's around her? I will never know.

Chiaki Nanami… There was no doubt that she was the girl in those memories. I'll think about that another time when I'm not acting like a total jerk to girls today. On another note, I'll have to remember not to disturb her (intentionally) when she's gaming while I'm here on this field trip.

And just like last time, something beeped. I already have a pretty good idea what did so I dug into my pants pocket and sure enough…

On the top right hand corner of the e-Handbook's screen, in non-pixelated letters (Thank God) was a notification with a blue diamond saying, "Obtained Hope Fragment."

I stared at Chiaki in admiration.

Chiaki stared at me.

I stared at her.

She stared at me.

"Yeah, totally," she says casually, breaking the long silence.

"Um… Yeah. So I was going to the cafeteria…"

"Okay. See ya'," Chiaki says like an emotionless machine.

It takes all of my effort to suppress a vein from forming on my forehead. "I was wondering if you would like to join me? It looks like you've been playing that game all day and I thought you would want to take a break and get something to eat."

She gave me a blank stare. Did I said something say wrong? I was asking a girl if she would like to eat lunch with me and I'm pretty sure I didn't say anything offensive among those lines. I guess it was stupid of me to assume that she'll come along easily, considering that I'm a complete stranger who somehow knew her name.

Or so I thought.

"Okay."

"Huh?..." That response was all I could manage.

"I was feeling kind of thirsty and I can see you're really trying not to lose that first flag so I'll go with you." Chiaki says, pointing a thoughtful finger up in the air. "This is like one of those secret character events in the first part of the game where the protagonist sees an unexpected side of a character to reach the True Ending."

I don't know what that second part had to do with me asking her to lunch, but I'll just chalk it up as a slight grudge for messing up her game from earlier.

"Let's go so we can start the event," Chiaki says with a smile.

I nodded and waiting for her to be a close distance to me, climbed the stairs.

…

 **Part 3**

Food: the primary source of energy need to maintain life and growth. Its filled with vitamins and nutrients to strengthen the immune system and provide the energy needed to perform various tasks. Besides the respiratory and circulatory systems working together to keep the heart and brain active and functioning, it's one of the vital things required by humans and animals alike to stay alive.

I've had pretty crappy food for as long as I remembered. My mom and dad worked their office jobs every weekday and I was always studying so that all of those overtime hours they worked to pay for my tuition wouldn't go to waste. Whenever I couldn't afford to buy anything from the school's cafeteria, I brought the lunch I made at my dorm using whatever stuff that was in the pantry or refrigerator. If there wasn't anything to eat there, then I would go to a nearby convenience store and buy a cup of cupped noodles or a red bean bun for lunch before going to school. This sometimes happened for breakfast and dinner as well. They were both hated options I had to choice one of, but when I had to provide my own lunch it wasn't a very tasty idea. Edible, but not tasty.

I didn't have anything like a part-time job to support myself because of the massive workload from my studies. Instead, my parents supported me, sending me whatever money that they had left over from their own necessities. As much as I wanted to tell them there was no need to do such a thing, I would be rejecting the hard work that they made harsh sacrifices for so I could attend… a school…

So I took the money and thanked them for it every time.

However, thinking about things were back then wasn't going to make the food on my plate disappear. I was tumbling the strings of pasta with my fork as if bored with it. Granted, it was delicious but after eating two servings, a slice of chocolate cake, and washing it all down with a glass of water, my huge appetite from before is kind of spoiled.

Chiaki seemed to be better off than I am, eating the all-too familiar red bean bun and drinking a bottle a milk. She didn't look sickened by her food choice unlike I was at the moment. As a matter of fact, she looked happy with hers. Funny. I was thinking about striking up a conversation so I can finally get some answers about all of this since I didn't feel like eating anymore, but I didn't know where to begin. The only form of communication that we had was our somewhat awkward introduction and saying grace ("Itadakimasu!") before eating our meal. Ever since then, we haven't say anything to each other.

…

I might as well take the first step and see where's this goes. I opened my mouth―

"So Hajime, are you enjoying the field trip so far?" Chiaki says suddenly.

"Huh…?" I say for the umpteenth time today. That word must be _my catchphrase_. "Oh yeah, well, I can't really say I'm enjoying it but it's not bad either so, maybe something between those lines, I guess?"

"Hmm… Well, if you're having trouble having fun here, think of it like a video game." She says.

"A video game?" I asked, confused.

"You don't have to worry about getting a game over if you mess up on a stage and you can continue as many times as you want. There's also collectibles, free time events, and plenty of side missions so you don't have to worry about getting bored. The best part about it is that you're not a time limit. But the worst…"

"...The worst?" I say curiously.

"Is that you only have 50 days to get all of the collectibles." She says with a grim expression.

"Really?" I asked, slightly disappointed. I was half-expecting Chiaki to say something about having limited lives or something, but I'll push that thought aside until she mentions it later on. If not, then I can ask her.

"But it's not just that."

"It isn't?" I asked.

"Yep," Chiaki says, holding up her index finger as if she was stating an important detail. "You only get one life in this game and if you lose of your health, you'll get a game over."

Never mind. Question answered.

"I-I see. I'll keep that in mind," I say, feeling edgy for some reason. "Hey Chiaki, mind if I ask you something?"

"As long as it's about a video game," She says, taking a bite out of her red bean bun.

Good. That makes this question a lot easier. "…That video game that you were talking about, can you tell me more about it?" I asked tentatively.

Chiaki stared at me like a big question marked appeared over her head. Weren't we talking about a video game? She talked about them a lot during our conversation earlier I figured―

"I didn't figure you were the type to play video games," Chiaki says, sounding a bit surprised.

"Well I don't play them that often. The only thing that could call a video game is the television," I explained. "What did I looked like doing instead?" I say.

"Reading a book," She deadpanned.

Yeah, I should've saw that one coming. Besides studying, that was one of the things I considered a hobby. Extracurricular activities like athletics and social clubs weren't all that interesting to me. My schedule was already packed with prep-exams and doing homework given by my teachers, so I couldn't join a club even if I tried. The only club I considered being a part of was the Going Home Club. There were no meetings or no club objectives to achieve. All the members (including myself) did exactly what it says on the tin: go home.

"Anyways, let's just say hypothetically, I'm the main character. How many people can I interact with?" I asked.

"Well, excluding the main character, there's only 15 in total. Eight boys and eight girls. The main character is a boy in case you're wondering. But…" Chiaki trailed off, looking kind of depressed. "There's one character that I avoid interacting with."

…

 _At the beach, Nagito Komaeda sneezed, dropping a stack of planks on the sand._

" _Hmm... That's strange. Did I perhaps catch a cold from Hajime?" Nagito mused aloud. "Mikan said he only collapsed from exhaustion so that can't be it," he smiled to himself. "Well, it doesn't matter. He's seems like someone that wouldn't back down from anything, even if he was sick. I'm looking forward to seeing what hope he brings on this island…"_

" _Well_ I'm _looking forward to seeing you pick up those planks," Mahiru Koizumi demanded. "You can daydream about the new guy later," She said. "He's going to wish he_ was _sick when I see him…"_

…

Okay. That's one mystery down. On with the next one. "You said that there were collectibles in this game, right? Can you tell me what they are?" I asked.

"There are these blue fragments that the main character needs to collect. He can only get them by talking to his classmates. Those are the free time events," Chiaki explained. "There is no other way to get them except with that method." She added.

"What about the side missions? Is there anything you can tell me about them?"

"The sides missions aren't too difficult. The main character's mission to gather all of the fragments before time runs out. The side missions are just there for a bonus."

"What happens if I don't complete the main mission or any of the side ones?" I asked.

Chiaki's head dropped, looking depressed. "The teacher would be kind of sad that you didn't complete it," she says sadly. "As for the side missions, all of the characters are required to participant, but it's not entirely connected to the main purpose of the game."

"That's to collect all of the fragments, right?" I asked, trying to piece the facts together.

"Yep," Chiaki says with renewed verve, nodding. "It may seem hard at first, but participating in one of the side missions does lessen the workload for the other people. Everyone would really appreciate your help, even though they may not say it. There's a reward at the end of it so there's some incentive if you think it's unpaid labor. There's also a time limit on those missions and you won't get your reward if it's not completed, so be careful."

I nodded in acknowledgement. Relaying all of the new information in my head (after decoding it from Chiaki's video game jargon), I tried to piece together everything. So there are 16 students here in total, counting myself and Chiaki. The purpose of this "field trip" was to gather all of the Hope Fragments before a certain time period, which was 50 days. It was mandatory for me to participant in these "side missions" and I wouldn't be compensated for it unless the job is completed in time. Those rules sound like the perfect example of a communist country. But if those are our guidelines, then I couldn't go against them unless I started a rebellion. All of this does answers a few questions, but it didn't answer the one I needed to know the most…

Where the hell was I?

I better get that cleared up before I lose the opportunity.

"Do you know where this game takes place?" I asked, hoping to get an answer.

"On an island," she deadpanned again.

"Really?" I say, taking a spit from glass of water. "That sounds like an interesting―"

The realization hit me like a punch in the stomach. I was so shocked by the new information that I didn't noticed how much water was going down my throat. I did a spit-take…

Right in front of Chiaki's face.

If this was some gods' cruel trick they decided to play on me by ruining a potential friendship, then I hate that god.

While thinking about the various of being an atheist to a higher power, Chiaki was calmly wiping the water I spewed off her face with some napkins. That had my saliva in it after all so that made me look like even more of an asshole than I am already. Why the hell did I do that?! I didn't do it on purpose but I just found that I― no, the main character of that game (me) she was playing was on an island― an _island_ , which was, hypothetically; our current setting. Of course, that much should've been obvious because of the fact that my cottage was literally standing over the ocean. Damnit. I'm such an idiot…

"You must want to go on the harder route to reach the Best Friends Ending," Chiaki says, glaring at me. "I don't know if this is part of your playing style. But if you keep this up, you'll get an early game over before you begin the story."

"Sorry, it wasn't on purpose!" I say quickly. "I was just… surprised is all by the game's setting."

Chiaki didn't look like she was buying it. I'm telling the truth so why wasn't she saying anything? Managing these "flags" sure is hard work.

…

Why am I even thinking about right now?!

"Your responses aren't time, but if you choose the wrong response, you'll definitely lose a flag this time and slightly lower the affection gauge." Chiaki warned.

Now there's an Affection Gauge? Is she just adding new features every time I have to "pick a response"? I don't know if my current gameplay can handle this experience. Maybe I should just play it safe and pick the third option― No, no, no! Goddamnit!

"I didn't do it on purpose!" I say seriously. "If I wanted to get water on your face, I would've splash with you some if we were playing in the pool." Chiaki raised an eyebrow at my poorly, thought-out reasoning. "I would never embarrass you like this. Ever."

"Hmm…" Chiaki flipped the hooded part of her jacket over her head and her gaze fell to the floor, as if she was in deep contemplation. After a while, she returned her gaze towards me. I was expecting her to still look upset after that accident, but instead, she stared back at me with those kind eyes from before.

"You must have a very high charisma stat or be a very nice person," she looked marveled by my explanation. "That's the second time you've avoided losing a flag. You're on the right path on getting the Best Friends Ending, maybe even the Lovers Ending…" She paused. "I think."

I was still breathing a sign of relieve but I noticed that Chiaki's cheeks were slightly pink. They were almost the same color as her hair. For some reason, I felt my face grew a bit hotter just from looking at her.

"Ooooh, such a steamy romance! Do you perhaps think there's room for one more?"

I almost jumped out of my seat when I heard someone's voice from behind me. Instinctively, I turned around to see the culprit.

There was a plump boy, wearing a chef's outfit. He even had on the traditional chef's hat, but instead of carrying a spatula, he had a comb in his hand. What made this guy stood out was his hairstyle, dark brown hair styled in a pompadour like the Americans in the 70's. Besides that, and the way he was staring at me and Chiaki like were famous celebrities, it didn't take me long to figure out that this guy was one the who make the food.

"W-Who are you, and how long were you standing there?!" I say, struggling to keep my heart inside my chest. That must be the second heart attack I almost had today.

"Oh me? I was here the whole," the newcomer says. "I was in the back of the kitchen finding ingredients for dinner. But then I saw you mess up a potential dish of fine romance with Chiaki, so I thought l might provide you with some..." he trailed off, as if he was building up dramatic tension. "Assistance."

"I-I see," I say nervously. "But you still haven't answered my other question."

"Hmm?" the boy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, excuse me. I thought that Chiaki must have told you about me, but I guess my ingredients weren't in the correct dish."

"Um…" I'm not sure how to respond.

"Oh right, introductions," he says casually, combing out his pompadour. "My name is Teruteru Hanamura. On the streets, I'm known as the Ultimate Cook. But could you call me the Ultimate Chef instead? It has more of a… big city flavor to it, ya know?"

"O-Okay," I nodded. "My name is Hajime Hinata. It's nice to meet you too."

"Mmhmhm, I hope we can get along," Teruteru says, waggling his eyebrows at me. "Excuse me, Chiaki, but I can I borrow the new guy for a moment?" he asked. "It just need to talk with him about something. Then you can have you turn."

Chiaki stared at him blankly, then a moment later she said, "Okay. Just don't take too long. You're interrupting a special event and Hajime might lose a flag if he stays away from too long."

"Oh?" Teruteru gasped. "Was I being left out of the menu or something? Were you two were on a date?"

"I-It's not like that!" I exclaimed. "We were just talking about video games. Right, Chiaki?" I looked back at the girl in question, expecting her nod or something to back me up.

Instead, she was giving me that same angry, puffy-faced expression from before. What did I do? I told him the truth, so why are looking at me with that way? Or was that stare towards Teruteru's direction?...

"Don't look so jealous, Chiaki." Teruteru assured her. "I'll bring your boyfriend back, right away I've had my fun with him." He suddenly latched onto my arm. "Come on, Hajime. Let's discuss this in a more private manner…"

"W-Wait!" I stammered. "I still haven't―"

Before I could make up an excuse, I was already beginning dragged away by Teruteru, leaving behind an empty seat and an upset Chiaki. I really wish she would stop looking at me that way. It makes me feels like I'm the bad guy.

We didn't go far, but we were only a few tables away from Chiaki. I could feel her gaze burning in the back of my skull. Teruteru released his grasp from me.

"So, what's the deal with you and Chiaki?" he asked. "You two know each other?"

"Well, I…"

I closed my mouth. If I told Teruteru that I just knew her name without even meeting her, then he might think I'm crazy. However, that was the truth and there was no telling how he would react if I say anything. Furthermore, this guy was a complete stranger who suddenly made his presence known and not to be rude, I couldn't trust someone like that. Something about this guy felt… dangerous, and not in a life-threatening way.

"I see. So you're the shy type, huh?" Teruteru mused. "It's okay. That sort of flavor can attract anyone if they had the right looks and you look rather… delicious."

I immediately felt the urge to run away as fast as possible from this guy. Don't tell me he's…

"If I can get serious real quick," Teruteru says. "I can tell you that Chiaki doesn't like that kind of flavor. You need to change your palate― add some spices to the mix. I don't know how you were able to get yourself a date with her, but from what I can tell, she's a bit of a budding blossom, if you catch my meaning," he suggested. "What do you think?"

"…What?" I say, confused.

"Since she's a hardcore gamer, there's a good chance she's probably wearing polka dot panties. What are your thoughts on that?" he asked.

"I… don't know…" I say, half-answering and half not trying to think about that thought. I noticed a droplet of blood trickling down from his nose, but I didn't say anything about it. He must've did the imaging for me. I quashed the lurking curiosity with the rational part of my mind.

"If you want to know how to get in those panties, I can provide a more… hands-on lesson if you want," Teruteru says. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" he urged.

This guy was being very persistent on the "hands-on lesson", something that I, along my sense of danger wouldn't agree to. I didn't want to be rude to this guy, by which I mean, not accept his offer to do something… indecent (?). So I had to turn down this guy's request. "…No thanks."

"Well, putting that aside for now… This might also seem unexpected to you, but…" Teruteru went silent, looking in both directions as if he was being secretive, before speaking. "I feel like Mikan could be a virgin," he whispered.

I almost choked on my tongue. Who was he talking about?! From the sound if it, she must have been another student here on this field trip. I sincerely hope that this "Mikan" girl doesn't meet this guy, or at the very least, doesn't talk to him…

…

 _At Jabberwock Park, Mikan Tsumiki sneezed._

" _H-Huh?... D-Did I catch a cold?" She mused silently._

" _I don't think so," Mahiru said. "I was like earlier but I think I was allergic to something."_

" _No way you can have allergies," Hiyoko Saionji said merrily. "I was probably that dumb girl over there that you allergic to. Get away from me before I start getting a fever, you skank."_

" _I-I-m sorry!" Mikan wailed, instinctively raising her arms as if she was going to be hit. "I-I didn't m-mean to make you s-sick on p-purpose!"_

 _Mahiru light bopped Hiyoko's head with a fist, making the shorter girl yell in pain ("Ow!") as she clutched it. "Don't listen to Hiyoko. I'm not sick and you would never be the cause if that were to ever happen to me." She assured her. "Matter of fact, do you think you can give me an exam? My arm's hurts for some reason and I don't think it's from slapping that pervert Teruteru across his face from what he said to you…"_

" _O-Okay…" Mikan said nervously, smiling for the first time. "M-My room is like a nursery so if you would follow me…"_

" _Awesome!" Mahiru cheered. "Maybe if you have time, you can examine Hiyoko too, maybe?"_

" _Wh-What?!" Hiyoko looked horrified. "As if would like some trashy, skank touch me with those―!"_

 _Mahiru raised her fist in the air menacingly, and like a trained animal, Hiyoko went silent. The photographer smiled at Mikan, and slowly, the young nurse found herself smiling back._

…

"I said something earlier about shy types and that's what she is. You see, girls like her are the easiest to get because they can easily attract people and they'll listen to you if you use the right motivation. For example, you can ask her rub your back and she'll do it in a heartbeat."

"That…" I paused, momentarily picturing the poor girl (a shy girl since I didn't know what she looked like) hanging around a bad crowd with less honorable intentions. "Sounds kind of bad." I say.

"It is," Teruteru nodded. "Her intoxicating flavor will be ruined if someone were to add to their… unique spices to her palate. That would be like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and adding bananas to it."

"I see," I say, not quite getting the reference.

"You don't look like the type of guy that would ruin a good dish, so I'll give you some advice," Teruteru says. "Take a small bite, feel the texture of her juices on your taste buds, and if you like it, take another bite― But not too big!" He suddenly raised his voice, as if to emphasize his point. "Just keep sampling her palate until you're completely immerse into her fine flavor."

I don't know what he meant by that, but if he was like Chiaki and applying some unrealistic terms with actual reality, then I needed to handle this like I did with her conversations and just roll with it. "I'll keep that in mind," I say.

"Excellent," Teruteru cheered. "Now that we're done, I believe you have an unfinished date with that young lady over there. Of course, we can always discuss this somewhere more privately if you want."

"Th-Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to pass," I say, feeling the urge to run away from this guy slowly returning.

"We'll be seeing each other again," Teruteru say. "Tell me how Mikan tastes so I'll know what spices to add."

I could barely here anything he said because my feet were already walking away from him.

And to my unexpected surprise, there was that familiar beeping sound once again. I needed to set notifications like "Obtained Hope Fragment" to vibrate when I had the chance. Going through the effort of checking my E-handbook every time that happens would be bothersome, so I didn't.

When I got back to Chiaki, she didn't have that angry "puffy face" from earlier, much to my pleasure. I plopped down in my seat, feeling mentally exhausted.

"So how did it go with Teruteru?" she asked.

"Like a really bad sitcom," I say tiredly.

"That's too bad," Chiaki says. "But as least you triggered two character events in one day. Even if your playing style is like of weird, that should count as some sort of achievement. Right?"

"I guess," I say. "Anyways, do you know what time is it?

"Right now it should be…" she closed her eyes for a moment, and opened them. "1:30. Why did you ask?"

I was almost taken aback by Chiaki's show of checking the time. I guess being the Ultimate Gamer gave her an internal clock or something, but my question was answered so I wasn't going to go further on that. "Well, I think I've eaten enough so I'm going to put these dishes away before going to Jabberwock Park." I say, rising from my seat.

"Are you going to meet Usami?" Chiaki asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I still don't know my way around the…" I struggled with the word. " _ **Island**_ … but I'll manage." I say.

"If you're having trouble finding your way around here, you can use the map on your e-Handbook," Chiaki advised.

I dropped the plate and silverware I was carrying on the floor. The plate shattered into pieces.

"…What?"

"There's a digital map inside of your e-Handbook," Chiaki explained. "You can access it by tapping the "Map" icon on your screen. Everyone knows that."

" _I_ didn't," I snapped. "I was still asleep when Usami was passing those out. At least, that's what Nagito told me."

"I see," Chiaki says. "Most cellphones and tablets typically had a "Map" application pre-installed on their phones. When people what to find out where they are or want to find the shortest route to their destination, they tend to use that app the most. It can also lock on to your location using the phone's or tablet's built in GPS so it makes finding places like stores, restaurants, and movies theaters."

I can also see her saying that with "The More You Know" banner floating above her. Well, it was good thing that Chiaki told me this when she did. Otherwise, I would've been roaming around this island aimlessly lost for… who knows how long. I still had that slip of paper with the map that Nagito gave me but his handwriting was not the most reliable compass.

"I keep that in mind," I say. "I going to meet with Usami. It was nice being able to talk to you."

"Yep. I was better than playing a video game, but not better than playing Grand Theft Throttle."

I had to stop myself from laughing. This girl and video games. "Well, I'll see you later, Chiaki," I say. "Don't stay on your video games too long," I added as a goodbye joke.

"I can't keep that promise," she says seriously.

I could help but smile at her. Yep, that girl and video games…

…

 **Part 4**

It was a peaceful afternoon for Kazuichi Souda. The young mechanic had walked to school, meet fifteen strangers who were his classmates,he'd seenhis classroom transported all of them to a tropical island like he was tripping out on LSD (not that he does it, mind you), and he saw a guy pass out on the bench with a smoking-hot chick dressed up like a nurse rushing to his aid and rested his head in her lap. Her lap! It has been three hours and that guy was already bagging a girl, and he wasn't even trying! If that keeps up, he'll have Miss Sonia in his evil clutches sooner or later. He had to keep a close eye on this guy, and when he makes his move…

…

 _ **Inside Kazuichi's Mind**_

" _You shall not possess the princess's heart, you bastard!" Kazuichi proclaimed, completely decked out in white armor._

" _Hah! You think you can take her from_ me _!?" the "bastard" said, also decked out in armor, but pitch black._

" _I don't think I can! I_ will!" _Kazuichi_ _drew his sword from its' scabbard and entered a fighting stance._

" _Then you will die here," the "bastard" also drew his weapon, a long, blade emitting pitch-black energy, readying himself as Kazuichi did. "Once I kill you, I will enjoy having my way with the princess while your severed head watches as your life fades away."_

" _You got that wrong!" Kazuichi yelled. "Your head's going to be the one rolling on the floor as you watch me and Lady Sonia have our happy ending!"_

" _In your dreams, perhaps," the "bastard" said sardonically. "That fantasy of yours will be something you'll have plenty of time to think about while you're in the afterlife."_

" _Enough!"_

 _An epic battle unfolds, both opponents fought fiercely, each have the upper hand one moment before the other somewhat turned the tables. Of course, Kazuichi won that decisive battle and made good on his promise._

 _As the "bastard's" severed head lied on the floor and his body bled gallons of blood, Kazuichi held his princess close to him as the set settled behind the clouds._

" _Lady Sonia," he whispered. "I promised that I would protect you, didn't it? It was a long journey and they were many battles, but I never gave up because I had the one thing that keep me going..." he brushed back some of her hair with a gauntlet-clad hand to look at her pools of sapphire. "You…"_

" _My Prince…" She said softly. "I'm so happy that it was that I fell in love with. My kingdom and my family may be gone, but at least I didn't lose you…"_

" _Don't say that," Kazuichi said. "I'm long as your alive and I'm with you, then you haven't lost your kingdom. And your family? Well, you still have that. Your parents may be gone but you still have me and all of ours friends who helped me― helped us get this far. You haven't lost anything, you're still this country's princess…"_

 _He hugged her tighter._

" _And mine's as well."_

" _I glad you said that, because I have something to tell you,"_

" _And what is it?"_

" _I am with child, and you're the only man I've ever been so that means you're the father."_

 _Kazuichi felt as if all of the air in his lungs left him._

 _Then he smiled, revealing his shark-like teeth and pumped a triumphant fist up in the air and yelled…_

" _Hell yeah!"_

…

 _ **Back to the real world**_

Kazuichi eyes gleamed in excitement at the thought. If he could protect Lady Sonia from that guy, then that dream would become a reality, minus the sword-fighting. The mechanic added "Protect Lady Sonia from creeps" on his special "must do" list (which was naturally over "build a rocket) and continued walking towards his destination. He didn't have anywhere he wanted to go in particular since he was tired from all the work he did― well, Mahiru made him do. He understood that men were biologically stronger so why make him care all of that heavy crap? Carrying a crate full of flowers was like the equivalent of a crate full of rocks. If he did the math (something that he wasn't very good), then surely she would've understood how difficult it was for him, right?

He wanted to find a bench to rest his tired legs until he say one of his classmates, Gundham Tanaka, focused intensely on scribbling some ancient, rune-like markings in the sand around him in a circle. Kazuichi never understand any of that "chuuni- _"_ crap that he occasionally babbled about when asked even the simplest of questions, but he didn't seem like a bad guy. Truthfully, he wanted to avoid him like the plague until their 50 days of this field trip was up. However, he was a classmate, meaning that he was part of this trip, meaning that he also had to collect all those Hope Fragment things Usami talked about. The only way he was going to get them was to talk to people…

Meaning that he was going to have to talk to _him_.

Kazuichi sighed wearily. He might as well go over there and get this over it. The sooner he formed some sort of connection with this guy, the easier it'll be to get all of the other Hope Fragments from him in the future. One of them was going to have to take the first step of being "best buddies" sooner or later, so their first encounter was inevitable, he supposed.

"Hey Gundham, what are doing?" Kazuichi asked, _not_ out of curiosity.

"What am I doing, you say?" Gundham asked incredulously. "I'm attempting to cleanse myself of this negative energy by connecting with the Underworld and bath myself in its infinite darkness," he explained.

"Yer' that bored, huh?" Kazuichi surmised.

Gundham chuckled as if he was asked the stupidest question in the world. "As if a mere human can fully understand the darkness that envelopes me. You won't even begin to realize its' true terror until it is too late…"

"R-Right…" Kazuichi said, slowly beginning to regret talking to this guy. "I was going take a breather after all that work Mahiru made us do but since you're here and it's about that time for lunch, ya' wanna take a break from all of…" he tried to find the right word. " _This_ … and grab a bite?"

"Ha!" Gundham scoffed. "You dare try to sever me from my ritual to connect to the Underworld for such an irrelevant luxury?" He smiled evilly. "You're an interesting human. Interesting, but foolish..."

"Y-Yeah, so are ya' coming or what?"

"If a lesser being demands the presence of the Supreme Overlord of Ice to sate themselves, then I wouldn't waste my energy joining their banquet…" Gundham stated.

Kazuichi had already gotten fed up at this point and was about to turn and leave-

"But you appear before me, undaunted by my overwhelming darkness, to ask such a simple request, one such as I can easily grant, and at the same time reject," Gundham nodded. "Very well, if you desire the company of the Dark Lord, then I shall be at your side."

 _Finally,_ Kazuichi thought. He didn't know if he had the energy to listen to one of Gundham's ramblings about darkness, or enough to convince this guy to came with him if he declined his offer. 

"But know this, mortal…" Gundham warned. "If this meal isn't to my liking, then I shall destroy you without hesitation. Your soul will be casted into the Gates of Gehanna where you will _**burn in the fires of pandemonium!**_ " he roared. "So keep me well entertained."

"Noted. So let's go already before Mahiru finds us and gets us to do some impossible task."

"Agreed. That woman emits such a sinister darkness that my Four Dark Devas of Destruction tremble in fear."

Kazuichi almost had to stop himself from laughing. This guy better consider himself lucky that she wasn't here when he said that. That darkness of his wouldn't save him from _hers_.

With that, the unlikely pair strolled off to the nearest restaurant.

…

 **Part 5**

Gundham didn't talk much while he was eating. No ramblings about darkness, ice, fire, or whatnot. He just ate his food in silence like a normal person would in a public area, something that worked perfectly for Kazuichi. His original plan was to hang out with this guy until he (Gundham) couldn't tolerate his presence any longer and leave.

However, now that he was practically sharing a meal with a guy that was a complete stranger to him a few minutes ago, he curious to know more about him. What was the deal with the chuuni- crap that he occasionally ranted about? What's the deal with those damn hamsters? Why was he arm bandaged up? Those questions boggled in his mind with answers that were impossible to receive unless Gundham was a social butterfly. If he was going to get along with this guy, then he needed to establish some common ground.

Unfortunately, Kazuichi wasn't an expert at performing such a task. Instead, he decided to opt with a more… practically approach. There were both guys so this particular subject would be acceptable, right? All the guys in middle or high-school do it all the time so even a guy like him should respond to such a natural question, right? If Gundham wasn't going to start a conversation, then it was up to him to kick things off.

Steeling his nerves, Kazuichi asked the question that would decide everything.

"What type of girl do you like?"

Gundham, who was about to take another bite out of his vegetarian burger, froze like a statue.

 _I knew it,_ Kazuichi thought. This might be an easy Hope Fragment after all. A simple question that any guy could answer. If they couldn't, then they were considered― 

The mechanic'strain of thought was interrupted by Gundham, laughing like some crazed madman. For some reason, the air around him was cold like winter.

"Let me ask you, mortal," Gundham said. "Why would you ask such a foolish question?"

"I don't know," Kazuichi said, shrugging his shoulders. "I thought that you might be interested in something else other than taking over the world…"

"I have no need for a companion or lover," Gundham said. "Such relations are beneath me and they would only be a hindrance in my conquest of ruling this world."

"O-Okay, but what about those hamsters," Kazuichi pointed out. "You seem pretty friendly with them."

"I rather prefer their company than a mere mortal's," Gundham said. "My Four Dark Devas of Destructions may look like mere "hamsters" in the eyes of lesser beings such as yourself, but if one has devoted themselves in the dark arts as long as I, then they will realize that this is only their temporary form."

"And what are their "ultimate" forms?" Kazuichi asked.

"I don't see no reason to answer you," Gundham stated bluntly. "By the time they abandon their physical forms and achieve their true power, you will be long dead. It's a shame you won't live to witness their awakening as I, Gundham Tanaka, reign in a new era of darkness upon this world! Fuhahahahahah!"

And just when Kazuichi thought that he wouldn't hear another one of Gundham's rants about darkness, his misgivings proved him wrong. He almost considered getting out of his seat, walking out of the door, and never speak to this guy ever again. Screw gathering all the Hope Fragments. He would rather be hanging out with Nagito right now. At least with that guy, they would have a decent conversation.

"But as for your earlier question, someone like a companion would be impossible," Gundham said. "My body is filled with poison and they would have long succumbed to its effects and perished. If someone were to stand beside me in this world plane, they would need to have bathed in the darkness of the Underworld for as long as I have and be blessed with its powers. Only then shall they be worthy of having a place at my side in the Tanaka Empire."

"I-I see…" Kazuichi said, forcing a smile. "Well those sound like some interesting…" He paused. "Things you want in your dream girl. But I'm a much simpler type of guy." He declared with glee.

"Really?" Gundham said haughtily. "You think that your standards are better than mine? The Supreme Overload of Ice?" he smiled in an evil manner. "Very well… Perhaps you can enlighten me on yours. Give me an unsatisfactory answer and I will destroy you where you stand."

"Well, just so you know, I'm happen to like a girl with blonde hair, long legs, a rocking body, and a nice rack." He confessed.

Gundham almost choked on his food when he heard Kazuichi's long list.

"You fiend!" Gundham roared, pointing an accusatory finger. "You base the things in your ideal companion on such lustful detail?! Kazuichi Souda, your preferences are as shallow as the pit of your soul. I fear that the wrath of my darkness would have little to no effect."

"Hey, don't judge me!" Kazuichi defended. "I didn't talk about you when you were describing your dream girl so don't make fun of mine!"

"Kehehe..." Gundham chuckled darkly. "You must be mistaken. I was simply stating the truth. You prefer the excessively attractive features of women that the actual person. Gluttonous fiends such as yourself don't deserve to exist in the Tanaka Empire and shall feel my wrath!"

"You just don't understand," Kazuichi said. "A girl with no perks like that is like looking at an R-rated movie with no sex scene. You were describing your girl with darkness and all that crap, but that's only just the inside. What about what she looks like on the outside?"

"Her aesthetic appearance doesn't matter," Gundham said. "As long she has an equal amount of darkness as I, then things such as attractiveness is irrelevant to me. The social wall between personality and beauty might not as well exist!"

"Yeah, right," Kazuichi said doubtfully. "You're just saying that so you don't look like the bad guy. I bet you got a hidden stash back at your cabin."

"You must think I indulge in those perverse pleasures like some pitiful, lonely soul," Gundham retorted. "The difference between a mere mortal like you and a Dark Lord such as myself is that I was being honest about my preferences and you were overly excessive in yours."

"I was being honest too!" Kazuichi yelled. "I mean, where are hell are you going to even find a girl like that?!" 

…

 _In the Negima! Universe, Evangeline A.K. McDowell sneezed._

" _Damnit. Maybe trying to sleep with the brat when he had a cold wasn't such a good idea after all…" the vampire mused. "Chachamaru…_ _ **Chachamaru**_ _!" she called for her servant in a sickly, hoarse voice._

 _Like magic, the android appeared at her master's side. "Yes, Master?"_

" _I'm hungry," the vampire said._

" _Would you like tea?" Chachamaru asked._

" _No," Evangeline said, shaking her head a little. "Bring me the usual,"_

" _Of course," Chachamuru said, bowing shortly and going to retrieval the requested item. Before she reached for the door, she stopped._

" _What's the matter?" Evangeline asked impatiently._

" _One of my sisters was here with you to tend to your needs, correct?"_

" _Yeah," Evangeline said, glaring at her servant. "What about her?"_

" _Why isn't she here?"_

" _Blew her the fuck up," she said without hesitation._

" _I see," Chachamaru nodded, unfazed._

" _Glad you got that cleared up. Now bring me some blood!"_

" _And may I ask what kind?"_

" _Negi Springfield's!"_

…

"In time, she will make her presence know," Gundham said. "And until it does, I will continue to immerse myself in darkness, growing ever more powerful each day…"

"Whatever," Kazuichi said, rolling his eyes. "I say your dream girl doesn't exist. I already saw mine already."

"Interesting…" Gundham mused. "Was it perhaps an illusion created by your mind when you realized that you were destined to live out your days alone on this earthly plane? If so, then I find your discovery quite unrealistic."

"H-Hey, don't go making up your own conclusions!" Kazuichi exclaimed. "I still haven't shown you my proof!"

"Then hurry up and present me this so-called evidence. My Four Dark Devas of Destructions are eager to unleash their terrifying power when the first falsehood reveals itself."

"Well, I don't wanna brag but…" Kazuichi trailed off, rubbing the back of his head before smiling a shit-eating grin. "I gonna do it anyway. I got a girl's underwear."

"…S-Such an answer does not exist!" Gundham said.

"No, it's true," Kazuichi said. "When I went back to my cottage, they were right there on my bed― Like right there! It sucks that there was no girl wearing them but she must've left them behind when I came."

"That story is as illusionary as that woman who owned them," Gundham said. "Kazuichi Souda, your blood shall be the first to be spilled to create the foundation of my empire!"

"No dude, I'm serious!"

"Then perhaps your soul temporarily detached itself from your physical body and saw an image of the afterlife?..."

"It wasn't dying and I wasn't daydreaming! I have the proof with me right now, and you can see for yourself!"

As fast as he said those words, Kazuichi reached into his pocket with confidence, eager to prove his sanity, and pulled out…

A magazine.

An erotic magazine, which promptly unfolded itself in front of Gundham.

Peering out of the corner of his eyes, Kazuichi dropped the magazine with an expression of undoubted horror. "Wh-What the fuck?!"

"You fiend…" Gundham snarled, all four of his hamsters suddenly appearing out of his jacket, glaring daggers at the mechanic. "You dare attempt to deceive me with provocative photographs of nude women?!"

"W-Well, not exactly," Kazuichi stammered. "I mean, if you into this kind of stuff, I'm cool with that. My mom found my secret stash one time and destroyed it so I don't know how I could have this one on me. I don't recognize this magazine being one of my old ones…"

"I'LL DESTROY YOU!"

"W-Wait a minute, hold on a sec!"

"Go, my Four Dark Devas of Destructions! Show this mortal your terrifying power!"

"Seriously, you got this all- AHH! WHAT THE HELL!? GET OFF ME, YOU DAMN RODENTS! GAHH! NOT THE EYES! I NEED TO SEE MY DREAM GIRL WITH THOSE! WHHYYYYY?!"

From that day forward, Kazuichi Souda, The Ultimate Mechanic who would go down in history for being the first human to suffer the almighty wrath of the Dark Lord, Gundham Tanaka, by the power of his Four Dark Devas of Destruction.

But did this unfortunate mortal live to see the tale?... No one will ever know…

…

 **Part 6**

I took the stairs leading down to the back entrance of the hotel and walk out the door. Now that I had a full stomach and enough energy to last me until dinner, I can finally go the Jabberwock Park and meet up with Usami.I sincerely hope that she wasn't one of those hard-ass teachers that got mad at every little thing. But if I explain to her why I was late, then I'm sure she would understand. That is, if she was the understanding type.

According the map on the e-Handbook (which I checked beforehand), I should continue walking straight, make a left and Jabberwock Park should be just around the corner. This was way more reliable than those scribbles of so-called "directions" made by Nagito. If I'm lucky, this might just be a short introduction about the field trip which I've heard from my hypothetically, self-insert conversation with Chiaki and I can go to my cottage and hopefully try to make sense of all of this.

On the other hand, maybe I should try getting some answers out of Usami instead of trying to figure it out on my own and not get anyway. After that, I needed to talk to her about getting a mini-fridge in my cottage so I don't have to always go to the cafeteria when I was hungry. If I didn't know any better, I think the cook there was actually―

"You. Stop right there."

A gruff voice came from behind me and I immediately stopped dead in my tracks.

"Turn around so I can see your face."

My heartbeat suddenly risen. Who was that? It was probably a man, based on the average volume of baritone in their voice. But that applied to any male, including myself. It had a sense of authority and the moment I heard, I stopped. Could he perhaps be a police officer?

"Fine. If you're gonna stand there, then I'll just come to you."

As soon as those words were said, I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Every step was like an earthquake growing more intense in magnitude. I could barely hear the sound of my own heartbeat over the loud thumping, noises of those giant footsteps― the sounds of imminent danger slowly getting closer to me.

Calm down, Hajime. There's nothing to be scared off. It's probably just a huge guy who wants to speak to you. He saw you, but you didn't see him. He didn't recognize you, thus, he stopped you so he can find out who you are, hence; the situation I'm currently in. That should make perfect sense, right? There were only 16 students here, including myself. Maybe this guy was one of them? Nagito didn't mention anything about other people being on this island so that couldn't be…

Wait a minute.

Or maybe that _was_ it? What if this guy wasn't a student? What if he was someone that wasn't intended to be here? If that were the case, then…

Holy shit.

This guy behind me was a complete stranger. Of course! That had to be it! We were on an abandoned island, after all. I didn't see anyone here that might have looked like a staff employee. No one else wouldn't have noticed other people being here, probably because they thought there weren't any in the first place. Anyone could have come― Heck, anyone could have already been here on this island and we wouldn't even know it!

I weighed my options. I could stand here while this potentially dangerous person got closer to me and does… God-knows-what or― probably the riskiest, I can run and hopeful escape his line of sight and call for help. But this guy might have a weapon― maybe a gun, and I won't even know he has it unless I turned around and see for myself or if the bullet actually hits me. I might not even be alive if I do, hence; why that choice is unfavorable. It was a fight-or-flight dilemma and I would be the one deciding how I would respond.

It could be that I was aware of the danger and didn't carefully thought it through...

It was possible that I didn't think a huge man wouldn't do me much harm...

Maybe the rational part of my brain had ceased to function due to the weird encounters I had today with three students who were Ultimates...

Or perhaps, deep down I was a coward and simply wanted to take the easy way out. Why I thought of myself so lowly in this situation is a mystery to me.

Whatever the case, I choose the most rational option.

And that was to run like hell.

Gathering up all the energy I could muster into my legs, I bolted away from the man like a runner hearing the starting gun.

"Hey, what are you going?! Stop right there!"

I could hear, no― _feel_ those giant footsteps approaching behind me. Damn. He decided to give chase. No Hajime, don't look back! Just keep running! You can worry about who's behind you when you're not dead.

Just run!

Run!

 _Run!_

Everything seemed to blur as I sped past numerous trees and foliage. It all looked kind of nice for a moment until I left it all behind. Was there anyone out here? Somewhere? Anywhere? There are supposed to be fifteen other students on this island, how hard is it for one of them to notice a guy getting chased by someone?! How hard it was for me to notice them?! Dammit! Just run and don't worry about anything else!

I wasn't going to waste time and look behind me. That would be seconds I would lose and also taking my eyes off of what was in front. I would collide into someone― or something, and that guy might catch up with me, something that I couldn't allow. I quicken my pace.

I wasn't the best physically fit person in the world; I don't know how long I can keep running until I burnt out all of my energy. I needed to get rid of this guy and fast. An obstacle, something to put more distance between me and him. That was my only chance. If I could just―

I found my answer when I saw it up ahead.

A recycle bin.

That might work!

I made a beeline for the giant container. I don't know if it's full or empty but I'm wasn't going to waste time figuring that out. The recycling bin was coming in closer view in my vision every second I run. If I can time this just right…

Without stopping, I ran up beside it, making sure not to run too fast, but not too slow either so I wouldn't miss my window of opportunity. When my first foot stepped past it, I quickly extended my hand to reach for the rim. Once my fingers felt contact with metal, I retracted my arm, tipping over the recycling bin all at once. It hit the ground with a metallic "thud", but I didn't care about the sound. What mattered was the result.

Not a moment later, I heard something from behind me collided with it. It was no doubt the man that was chasing me but I wasn't going to look back and confirm it myself. His yelp of shock and pain told me everything I needed to know. I almost felt a wave of euphoria wash over me of how much that half-assed plan of mine actually worked as I kept running.

I felt my lungs burning for air. How long was I running? How much distance did I put between me and that guy? This was no time to be thinking about that. Not now. I had to keep moving and try to find someone that can help me.

That was when it clicked.

Jabberwock Park.

I was supposed to be meeting Usami there. If I could get to her, maybe she can help me.

I shook my head. Don't think like that, Hajime. It wasn't a matter if she can. She _had_ to. There was someone on this island who wanted to hurt one of her students and she was my― _our_ teacher for God sake. It was her duty to help her students with problems and protect them for danger.

If I can remember the directions from the map as well as I can, there should be a store called Rocketpunch Market just around the corner. I need somewhere to catch my breath and maybe think about how I should that handle that guy who chasing me should the situation calls for it.

With that desired location in mind, I made my way towards it.

…

 _ **Somewhere on Jabberwock Island**_

A black and white teddy bear watches the chase unfold in the comfort of some bushes.

"Upupupupupupu..."

...

 _ **Inside the Future Foundation apartment complex**_

Sex: It has many different meanings. In the biologically known definition of the word; it meant either two main categories of a species' gender, male or female into which humans and many other living things are divided on their basic reproduction functions. The male would seek out a woman of desirable traits and fertilize the female's egg with their sperm, which in turn may lead to the female becoming pregnant with the male's child. Once a period of nine months has passed after the date of conception, the female may proceed to give birth to a child, whose gender is either one of the two categories mentioned (male or female) and partially inheriting the father and mother's genetic characteristics. That child will be given a name and after years of careful parenting (if any), they too may find a suitable mate of their own and they may become parents themselves. This cycle has repeated itself for centuries, driving the world's population over 7 billion, and either shows no sign of ceasing.

The other meaning is a more straightforward term without the sciences behind it. Meaning sexual activity, also including specific sexual intercourse; or sex, and the meaning for that is, well… exactly what it says on the tin. "Banging", "Getting laid", "Sexing it up", "Hitting that", "Getting busy", "Getting freaky", these were some of the various terms used by adolescents and young adults when referring to sex as such, but not the most popular. The phrase, or rather word, used when it wasn't taking place in the privacy of a love hotel or a couple's bedroom and commonly used by Americans as a word of intense dislike...

The all dreaded "f" word with the "-ing" suffix added at the end…

And precisely what a certain fashionista was doing to a terrified, Makoto Naegi...

Well… not yet, at least.

That unfortunate boy in particular lied on his bed, spread-eagled. Both of his wrists were strapped to the metallic headboard of the bed and the same was done to his ankles at the footboard, all with black neckties. His mouth was gagged with a pair of blank panties (yes, they are) and his eyes were covered with a blindfold, matching the undergarments' color. Junko stood on one side of the bed beside him near the front door, gazing up and down at the boy with a thoughtfully, amused expression, as if impressed with her handiwork. Even after all of that work, she was still clad in lacy, black lingerie.

Everything in the room might as well be the color black.

"I must say, I did a hopelessly good job on setting this up if I say so myself," Junko said gleefully. "What do you think, Naegi-kun? Is the handiwork of the Ultimate Fashionista great or isn't it?"

Muffled yells were the only sounds that came from Makoto.

"Oh, right. You can't talk now, can you?" She said in a voice of mocking pity. "But don't feel all in the dumps there, Naegi-kun. Those panties you got shoved down your throat belong to that bitch Kyoko. All of my underwear "mysteriously disappeared" when I went woke up in that shithole." Junko shrugged. "Who knew that me and her shared similar tastes? Not this girl."

While the supermodel was preoccupied with a personal debate on how she and a certain detective shared similar preferences in undergarments, Makoto persistently struggled to get out of his restraints, but to no avail. His limbs weren't restrained with typical chains but with pieces of clothing woven together with threads of fabric, something that can easily tear if the appropriate amount of force was applied. So why couldn't he break free? Was he really that weak from a lack of sleep? Or...

"You can stop trying to escape, Naegi-kun" Junko said. "Those ties may be cheap, but I made sure to make those bindings _extraaa_ tight, so you won't be leaving anytime soon." She smiled triumphantly, crossing her arms under her impressive chest. "We still haven't even started yet and you're already started trying to resist. You're going to like what I― no, what _we_ are about to do next so you might not ever do much of that."

Out of apprehension, Makoto let the arms that were persistently trying to break their restraints go still. What was Junko going to do to him? No, the question should have been "What Junko wasn't going to do to him?". He expected to be tortured since the sole reason she was in his room was to see him, but nothing physical hasn't been done to him― well, except for having his arms and legs tied down and being gagged. So why wasn't she cutting off his skin with a knife or waterboarding him? Moreover, why hasn't she started with whatever she had planned?

"While I can do those despairingly cruel things to you and so much― and believe me when I say _so much more_ , I'm going to hold off all of that until a much better opportunity presents itself," Junko explained. "I'm the type of girl that likes to see people entirely drowned in despair. It's so hot that I'm practically drenched. But I'm a sick bitch, so any level would be a turn on for me, I guess."

Makoto furrowed his eyebrows in mild bewilderment. Why did she still thought of herself like that, even after her death― her own suicide that she unexplainably survived? Granted, he fought against the Mastermind (Junko) _that game_ so that he wouldn't have to witness anymore people― anymore of his friends die. Despite all of the pain and torment that she put them through, even a person like her, as evil and twisted as her obsession with despair was, Junko was someone he could call a friend. His friends, especially Kyoko, might have given him the third degree for that kind of thinking, but that was what he truly believed.

Inwardly, Makoto probably could have shown her that even a person like her could have hope, even if was just a tiny bit. But would had if he had stopped her form killing himself? Would she believe in the hope of causing despair? Would the effects of the Tragedy worsen as a result? Or perhaps, as slim as the possibility was, would everything end peaceful?...

Makoto's train of thought was interrupted by a loud, groaning sound from Junko. He couldn't see her― or anything― but he _felt_ her presence across the room.

"Are you fucking serious?!" Junko's expression had twist into one of absolute disgust. "After killing most of your friends back at the academy, tying you up and blindfolding you, you still think that we're friends!?" She huffed a breath of equal feeling. "Ha! As if I would hopelessly consider turning to hope! People who cling to shit like that are truly the weakest!"

Weak? What was weak about having something to believe in, Makoto thought. As long as anyone had hope―

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Junko yelled. "I know what you're thinking before you even say it, so until we start our fun, here's what you're going to do: don't say anything! Don't do anything! Don't even _think_ anything! Just. **Be**. _**Quiet**_!" She punctuated each word with a voice or rising anger.

Probably sensing the murderous intent that suddenly filled the room and that angering Junko any further would only add to it, Makoto did just that. Two of those things in her seemingly impossible list of commands he wouldn't have any difficulty doing due to his current... state, but not think? How could he _not_ think in this situation? He was bounded and gagged against his will by someone who shouldn't be alive and can somehow read his mind. Putting up mental barriers didn't do Makoto any good; he tried ―and continued trying― but Junko would always find her way around his defenses. She couldn't mentally analyze people this well during the Final Class Trial so how did she―

"What part of, "don't even think anything" did you not understand?"

As much as Makoto wanted to explain to her that it was almost impossible to do that, he couldn't voice his (because of the panties in his mouth) opinion, much less think about them. He looked up the ceiling, or what he thought was it. All he could see was pitch black darkness. No speck of light made itself present, even though the miniscule holes in the fabric.

Again, everything in the room might as well be the color black.

What felt an eternity of silence ended for the Ultimate Lucky Student when Junko stared at him. Of course, Makoto couldn't see her, but he _felt_ her eyes on him.

"I've already said this before, but I forget you're hard at hearing so I'll say it again..." Junko said. "Once you've felt the despair I've suffered, there's no going back. No matter how many people lend you a helping hand or how many friends you make, you'll never the same." Her eyes were downcast. "Not ever..."

Makoto couldn't see her face, but he didn't need to be analyst to know that her expression didn't match her voice. Her tone sounded angry, but there was... something else lingering in it. Sadness? Regret? Envy? He wouldn't know for sure until he got the blindfold off of his eyes to see for himself, which according to Junko, wouldn't be anytime soon. So why did she sound so―

"Now then," Junko announced, interrupting Makoto's train of thought. "I've already wasted enough time being all mopey and shit, so I'm going to make this a quickie and be on my way. This is your one and only freebie, but you can leave a tip for the excellent service," She shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll be taking all the money out of your wallet, even if you do."

"Mhmm!?..." Was all Makoto could manage through the... gag.

"Before we begin, it's a time for a pop quiz," Junko said, pushing a pair of glasses up on the bridge of her nose and holding a clipboard that mysteriously came from thin air. "Do you recognize the setup you're in? If you put your mind to it, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

Makoto, bewildered at the question's subject of whether she was referring to how he was retrained or something else entirely, figured he should start his thinking on the first. Both his arms and legs were spread apart and tied to his bed, and he has a blindfold covering his eyes so he couldn't see what was going on around him. For what purpose did she do that? If Junko was secretly a crazed religion cult leader in disguise of a supermodel, then he was probably being offered as a sacrifice for some sort of ritual. Of course, that wouldn't be a far hypothesis considering that she was― _is_ the leader of a terrorist organization whose followers particularly did everything a religious cult did, the ones that killed people that is.

"Technically, we don't do everything like those hopeless groups of people," Junko corrected him, diligently taking notes on his clipboard. "We do our killings and sacrifices for the sake of despair. There is no God in Ultimate Despair, nor do they believe in one. Unless of course, it was _me_ they were worshipping," She smiled. "Keep thinking, Naegi-kun. You're almost there..."

Even if Junko told him to do so, more questions formed in Makoto's mind that couldn't be answered. If this wasn't a ritual and he wasn't an offering for said ritual, then what else could it be? What other occasion would he be in this "setup" and why did she mentioned that it was familiar to him when it was the exact opposite?

Then realization hit him a like a ton of bricks.

His arms and legs were tied to the bed...

He was wearing a blindfold...

This setup should be familiar to him...

And it _was_.

He was in this particular situation before...

She was the one who suggested the idea and out of a sense of duty to the people he wanted to help, he agreed to it.

All to prove a point about the dangers of _that_ program, an experiment that went horribly wrong...

Kyoko Kirigiri's experiment.

"Oh ho," Junko sounded intrigued, looking up from her clipboard that had two pages filled with notes. "It's seems you finally remembered. You are correct, Naegi-kun. The setup you're in is the same one Kyoko Kirigiri put you in a few hours ago? Besides your arms and legs being restrained by everyday neckties instead of handcuffs, it is nonetheless, still the same.

 _That didn't make sense,_ Makoto thought. He knew that Kyoko was thorough with making sure every possibility of her experiment being interrupted was avoided. She was a detective― and not just any ordinary one, but the _Ultimate_ Detective so it was far to say that the event remaining a secret was certain. So how did―

"How did I know about your experiment?" Junko suddenly spoke, clinically flipping through her notes like a therapist. "While I wasn't around to see you get "killed" by Sayaka Maizono, I did, however see other things."

Makoto eyebrows risen in shock. How can Junko witness something without being present at the scene?! Did she secretly eavesdropped without Kyoko knowing? No, that couldn't be it― not with how calm and calculated she was. If so, then how did she do it without Kyoko knowing? When was she listening to all of that?

"I'll give you the same answer I did before..." Junko took off the glasses and put them... somewhere, glaring at the boy with a cold stare. Makoto couldn't see her face, but he felt the temperature in the room dropped in the negatives. "That's none of your fucking business."

As if to emphasize her point, Junko tossed the clipboard with the pages of well-organized notes over Makoto's immobilized form. It hit the wall with a loud "crack" sound and broke into two, unsegmented halves, paper scattering the floor.

"I've had enough of this expository bullshit!" She growled, smiling deviously. "Let's give it everything we got! IT'S... EXPERIMENT TIIME!"

Without warning, Junko jumped and landed perfectly on Makoto's groin (applaud if you want) and straddled him, making the boy "yelp" through the gag as a result. Women, biologically, were not supposed to be heavier than men, but Makoto stopped himself from finishing that thought and not _think_ about it any further.

"I never thought I would give it up to one of my fans but shit, something's gotta give, right?..." She said awkwardly, averting her eyes, her face slightly pink. "It's my first time, so be gentle," she warned him. "If you try any funny business, I'll despairingly scream "rape" and you'll be sent to prison― or whatever passes for it these days, and you'll be the girl then."

She pulls out her stick of lipstick from... somewhere, removing the cap and pointed the red, pointy cosmetic down at Makoto's face.

However, before she could do whatever she planned with it, she heard a muffled sound coming from the boy beneath her.

"...mah..."

"Huh? What was that?" she asked, sounding annoyed. "I know you're short as hell, but you want people to hear you, you need to speak louder."

"mm mph gmh hmp,"

"Oh, right. The gag," Junko said, mentally slapping herself for his error. "Hope you got a _gooood_ taste of your girlfriend's pussy, you fucking pervert..."

She reached for the pair of panties with her index finger and thumb, and using her crimson fingernails, she gently pinched the elastic that stuck out of the ball...

And forcibly yanked them out of Makoto's mouth.

The boy instinctively coughed and gagged on reflex, Junko watching him wringed in pain on top with an expression of complete disgust. His lungs burned for the oxygen they desperately needed, as if set ablaze and his tongue had a lingering combined aftertaste of lavender and soap. He needed water and help. Mostly water, but help.

"Stop thinking about being rescued," Junko said. "Your friends won't be coming anytime soon. I made sure none of that "Break-Down-The-Door-And-Save-The-Day", bullshit wasn't going to happen." She narrowed her eyes. "You had something to say, right? Now stop stalling and start talking before I shove something sharp and pointy down your throat!"

There was a long, pregnant pause.

"Shit. That came out wrong," Junko muttered. "But when you mad at a certain boy who acts like an herbivore man, what can you do?

"...Why?..."

"Huh? You said something?"

"...Why... are you... doing this?" Makoto all but managed between long, tired breaths.

Times seemed to stand still as silence washed over the two Ultimates. The question made the supermodel's expression falter into a blank one; an unknown tension seemingly removed their ability to speak. Makoto lied still, waiting on the moment for Junko to say something― do something painful to him and talk about despair, making him feel anxious and unnerved.

The silence was abruptly broken by Junko, who slowly began to laugh. Makoto didn't know whether he had said something humorous, but he couldn't see the girl and the slowly-increasing deathly, aura told his senses he was better off. Her features were hidden under her long, strawberry hair and his head randomly twitched like a damaged animatronic.

A few moments later, Junko's laughter ceased and her eyes were depressed and hollow.

"...Because I love you."

It was a simple answer. One that Makoto couldn't properly respond to.

"I love you so much that I infiltrated Future Foundations headquarters, come to your room dressed next to nothing... Just so I can see you.

Makoto couldn't see it, and he probably wouldn't believe it.

"I put my plan ahead of everything else, put up obstacles so our friends wouldn't interrupt our time alone... Just so I can see you."

She gently cupped Makoto's now trembling face with a hand.

"I love you so much that I tied you up, blindfolded you, offered to give myself to you..."

As she said that, another one of her hands cupped his cheeks. All the blood in Makoto's body turned to ice.

"All of this..." she said softly.

She slowly kneeled down as she pulled the boy's head upwards, bringing it closer to hers.

No.

"All of this..."

The proximity between them gradually become smaller by the second.

No!

"All of this..."

Their noses were touching each other, their lips barely centimeters apart.

 _No!_

Using her thumbs, she raised the blindfold covering Makoto's eyes, just enough from him to see her. The sudden rays of light caused him to shut his eyelids in pain. The darkness allowed his vision to somewhat readjust to the world of color and when he felt his eyes were to a reliable degree, he slowly opened them...

And his eyelids flew wide open.

He should've keep his eyes closed.

The first thing Makoto saw after what felt like an eternity of darkness after the blindfold came off...

Were pools of blue under demonic slits.

"...So I can kill you."

Their lips brushed against each other's.

"I love you, Makoto~."

And before his mind could process any of this, she was kissing him.

Makoto Naegi had already gone mad at that point.

...

 _ **Inside the Future Foundation apartment complex's hallway**_

Yuu stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of the hallway.

"Yuu, what's the holdup?" Ryoga asked urgently, slowing down a few feet ahead of him.

"I sense a disturbance in the force," Yuu muttered ominously.

"What are you―!" Ryoga stopped himself before turning back to the hallway. "We don't have time for your foreshadowing crap! Someone's life is in danger and I need you to―"

"I know," Yuu interrupted. "I just have that a bad feeling that we won't like what we find when we get there."

"Of course not," Ryoga said with certainty. "If anyone heard a scream like that, they would be running for the hills."

"That too, but..."

Yuu let out a groan of exasperation.

"Whatever, let's just keep moving," he said hastily. "Help isn't going to get there if we're standing here like idiots."

Ryoga wanted to know more about "the disturbance in the force" Yuu mentioned, but someone's life could be in danger and asking questions at this point would be wasting time for them and that person's. With that though in mind, he ran to catch up with Yuu, who already a few meters ahead of him.

They made a left at the end of the hallway, Yuu stumbled and nearly fell because his feet lost traction from his speed as he was rounding the corner ("Fucking cheap-ass shoes, he yelled"). The apartments should be thirty meters ahead, where the source of the scream resonated, and his partner who somehow got ahead of him despite almost losing his footing a moment ago.

"Slow down, Yuu!" Ryoga yelled. "You might end up falling on your ass this time!"

"Piss off!" Yuu retorted, not looking back at him. "Just worry about keeping up!"

The area where the scream came from was straight ahead, only ten meters to go. Ryoga saw Yuu rounded a corner ahead of him. The kid was fast, Ryoga had to admit it.

"What the hell?!"

Ryoga finally reached the corner Yuu just turned a moment ago. Why was he swearing like something was horribly wrong?

His question was answered when he made the turn. In front of him, Yuu stood, both his hands balled in fist trembling in angry. Ryoga couldn't blame him, he felt his headache from their earlier "conversation" slowly returned to him as he stared at the problem...

Several school desks were neatly stacked on top of one another, the towering height of it all almost touching the ceiling. Long threads of white string were wrapped around the metallic leggings, overlapping the flat, wooden surfaces of the furniture then back again. The pattern repeated itself with the other desks that stretched across the hallway like a brick wall.

It was a barricade.

"The fuck is this!?" Yuu demanded. "Why is something like this here? Who the hell did this?"

"I don't know," Ryoga replied. "But I do know this: whoever's responsible for this really didn't want anyone to come through here."

"I can see that!" Yuu yelled, pointing at the barrier. "I'm asking you why is it here!"

"Calm down, Yuu," the taller man advised. "Whatever the reason is doesn't matter at this point. We'll figure it out after we get this out of our way."

"And how do you suppose we do that, jackass?" Yuu said sharply.

Brushing his co-worker's insult aside, he walked up to the barricade and pulled at one of the strings. "Since this wasn't here the last time we came this way; it was possibly built in a hurry."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that thing might have some weak spots, like these pieces of string that are exposed like a sore thumb," Ryoga plucked at the string with a fingertip as if to emphasize his point. "If we can get one of these strings lose, then the whole thing will come apart. After that, we can push our way through the desks and be on our way."

Yuu eyes went in realization.

"That..." He almost yelled, rising a finger as if ready to prove something wrong, then lowered it. "Actually makes more sense." he finished in a slow, thoughtful manner.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now let's get to work." Ryoga stated firmly.

"Right," Yuu said.

The shorter man walked up to the barricade, grabbing one of the silvery threads wrapped around a desk and with a jerk of his arm, plucked it clean off the barricade with ease...

Or so he thought.

"What?" Yuu sounded surprised for a moment, but his astonishment quickly turned to anger as he attempted to remove the string again.

Same result.

He pulled at the thread from various angles, even using both of his hands when he realized one wasn't going to be very effective. Yelling like a bodybuilder about to overcome their limitations, Yuu tugged on the string with all of his might, practically dragging himself across the tiled floor. But try as he might, the barricade remained tall and unmoved in the slightest. Feeling the thread was about to dig deep into his skin, Yuu released his hold from it, rubbing in hands to ease the pain.

"What the hell is with this string!?" he snarled. "It won't budge no matter what I do!"

"It's probably reinforced somehow," Ryoga answered, eyeing the barricade with intensity. "Although when I look at this again, it looks like the stuff inside the storage closet past this hallway. I'm guessing that whoever did this got all these desks from."

"Hold on a minute," Yuu said. "You're telling me that this string isn't normal? Then what the hell is this!?"

"If I had to guess, this would probably the wire we used to captured..." Ryoga struggled to say the words. " _Them."_

"You mean the wire made out iron fibers that we used for that mission weeks ago?" Yuu said quizzically. "This crap doesn't look anything like it! The stuff we used was all metallic, not white as fucking Christmas!"

"Probably because whoever did this painted all over it to screw with us." Ryoga explained, lightly brushing a finger over one of the threads, as if to prove his point. The fingertip was speckled with tiny, snow white flakes. "See? By doing this, they could trick anyone into thinking that this was regular string. And when someone came to remove it..."

His gaze settled onto Yuu, who glared right at him.

"They wouldn't figure out that this wouldn't be the normal kind that could easily be removed, meaning we―"

"Wasted our time and looked like fucking idiots," the shorter man surmised, kicking the barricade in utter contempt.

"Well technically, _you_ were the one who tried to take down the barricade without fully examining it, so I guess that makes that you the―"

"Unless you want your face to end up in a shit load of different colors other than this string here, it would in your best interest to not finish that sentence."

"I'm just kidding," Ryoga said, smiling.

"Sometimes I wonder about that," Yuu muttered.

A loud groaned echoed from the other side of the hallway.

"Did you hear something?" Ryoga asked.

"Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing."

Then they heard a voice. A very familiar, feminine voice.

"...N-Naegi... hurting... me..."

A long, silence filled the hallway. Both men could only stare in the direction where the voice's source came from.

Unabashed, the tallest of the pair spoke up. "That come from the direction of Makoto's room, didn't it?"

"Yes," Yuu nodded. "Yes, it did."

"And I'm guess that voice just now was Kyoko's, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Yuu nodded again, slightly faster that time. "Yes, it was."

"But that scream from earlier was definitely Makoto's, right?"

"Right," Yuu agreed, nodding his head even faster than before.

"I thought as much," Ryoga said thoughtfully, his fingers stroking his chin. "That kid woken up and is probably hurting someone. That, or he could the one been hurt." He turned to Yuu. "What do you think about―"

He stopped in mid-sentence when he felt the abrupt aura surrounding him. It was like the laws of gravity were inexplicably reversed during that moment. Ryoga couldn't see Yuu's face over his slumped head, but he _could see_ the strands of his spikey hair were slowly splitting apart. The man knew what was about to transpire and he regretted not being more careful.

"You were going to ask me something, weren't you?"

The air seemed to grew heavy as Yuu said those words. The indignant tone in his voice he had just moments was gone completely and replaced with something... demonic.

"I was going to ask you what did you thought about―"

"Naegi and Kirigiri, right?" Yuu said suddenly.

"Well..."

"RIGHT?!"

The zenith of the barricade sudden decreased a few inches. The metal leggings supporting it all bent at odd angles. The flat, wooden surfaces splintered with lightning bolt-shaped cracks, scattering the floor with wood fragments. It was as if a boulder had fallen on top of it.

Ryoga knew in his heart that it was impossible to turn back at this point and sensing the intensifying, aura that threaten to crush his bones with every passing second, he decided to respond.

"Yes."

Like flipping the off switch, the aura that emitted from Yuu slowly grow dim, dissipating into nothingness. Ryoga felt the immense pressure on his body lift and his worries for being a quadriplegic as well. However, it would only be momentary relief for him as he prepared himself, physical and mentally for the imminent.

A second later, it happened.

The air surrounding Yuu slowly recompressed and exploded. Ryoga shielded his eyes with both arms, unmoved by the force of the shockwave, his jacket tail flapping helplessly behind him. Lowing one of his arms, Ryoga peered through the fierce wind that spun around Yuu like a tornado...

And his mouth dropped.

Nothing like the man known as Yuu wasn't present. His signature, spiky hairstyle remained intact, but instead of its normal black color, it was white as snow, including his eyebrows. The Future Foundation uniform that he despised so much wasn't the standard black, but gleaming, metallic silver. His eyes were the color of blood, irises in demonic slits. They were like those of a demon ready to tear their prey asunder.

The man that stood before Ryoga was no longer the sardonic, abrasive (and sometimes intelligent) Yuu that he knew. This man― this demon― was something far from human. Ryoga had only seen _him_ once before and thought of it as an illusion created by his mind and forgotten about it. But now he had witnessed it again― the transformation, the features― and he couldn't deny it. He _wanted_ to.

This was the arrival of a demon, a monster known to few who was fortunate enough to not lose their sanity upon seeing him. This was the bane of all mankind and the savior to all of who worshipped him. This was the "Cupid's Devil", known by his faithful followers as the "Overlord of Romantics". But there only one true name that was more befitting than those titles...

Yuuranga.

The "demon" held up one open palm and closed it. The arm's bicep muscle expanded, emitting a _crunching_ sound as if it was on the brink of exploding. He did the same with other arm. Then, inhaling a deep breath, he stretched both arms behind his back in a macho-man pose and his chest puffed out like a balloon being filled with air, also making those same sounds like his arms.

Ryoga could only watch in bated silence.

Feeling satisfied, the demon known as Yuuranga finally spoke.

"It's been almost a year since I've used this transformation," he said. His tone was emotionless and cold like ice, and every word he spoke sent a chill down Ryoga's spine. "But now that a 'moment' like this has presented itself, it was time for Yuuranga to makes his surprise reappearance."

Ryoga didn't speak. He only stared.

"This barrier stands in my way of seeing a potential 'moment' of great joy to my heart," Yuuranga lightly touched the "barrier" with his fingers. "This is an obstacle that must be eliminated."

The demon turned to Ryoga, who flinched when his gazed stared down at him.

"Human. Do you have anything that I could use to cut this wire?" he asked, gesturing his head towards the barricade.

"I..." He faltered with the question, frantically trying to find the answer, but turned up nothing. "Don't have anything like that."

"I see," Yuuranga said. "Be sure to bring to carry a knife with you at all times, so this doesn't happen again." He advised.

"N-Noted," Ryoga nodded like a broken doll. There was a pause. "Hey! Since when are you giving _me_ orders?!"

"It seems that I have no choice but to use my power to destroy this barrier," Yuuranga proposed, seemingly ignoring Ryoga's question. He sighed wearily. "There isn't the time to find a knife or anything to cut this wire, so I'll make this quick."

The taller man's eye went wide. "You don't mean―"

"Yes," Yuuranga said tersely. "That's exactly what I mean."

Like a machine, he reached into one of his coat pockets and pulled out...

A grenade.

"No! You can't use that!" Ryoga yelled, looking partially terrified. "You're not authorized to use explosives inside the building!"

"And do you think that will stop me?" he said doubtfully, glaring at the man with an icy, cold stare. "This barrier is in my way, so I will simply remove it."

"With a _grenade_!?" Ryoga said incredulously. "I thought you were going to use your powers!"

Yuuranga's eye narrowed. "Now why would I do that? Sure, I may change my appearance and personality while in this state, I don't however, obtain superpowers of any kind. Anyone who thought that is, well..." He searched his mind for the right word. "An idiot."

"Once the higher-ups hear about this, I really can't help you this time." Ryoga warned.

"I'm aware of that," Yuuranga said, not even looking back at the man as he advanced toward the barricade. "I'll taking full responsibility for my actions on a later time, but someone's life is possibly in danger and the 'moment' that I sense from across this barrier isn't going to last long." He stopped a few feet away ahead of Ryoga. "If you have a problem with the way I do things, you can allows stop me. That is, if you think you can."

"You―!"

Ryoga leapt towards the demon―

But faster than he could react, Yuuranga had already pulled the pin off the grenade, dropped it near the barricade with a metallic _clank_ , and tackled him to the floor.

Three seconds later, there was a loud noisefollowed by an intense gust of wind surging from behind them. Ryoga could see wood fragments and metal scraps of various sizes zoom past him overhead. The thought of himself being a bloody, human pincushion entered his mind but he brushed it aside.

Yuuranga seized Ryoga by the collar and heaved him upwards until he was standing on both feet.

"Let's go," he said, already moving towards the newly made pathway. Ryoga gave a sign of resignation and followed.

Maneuvering through the wreckage was fairly easily. Remnants of the school desks that were partially intact were scattered all over either side of the hallway. Shrapnel and half-melted pieces of metal were mixed together in tiny, steaming pools of black with green blotches. A foul scent of smoke and burnt wood filled the air, making Ryoga cough occasionally as the pair made their way through the mess.

"My senses tell me that Makoto is this way," Yuuranga said, dusting himself off. "That boy better has his door locked so I don't take pictures."

"That's because you've been to his room before," Ryoga muttered, his eyes slightly watery. "And don't be harassing the kid and his personal life."

"Don't worry, human," Yuuranga reassured. "I'll divide my spoils with you. But I get the triple X-rated photos and you get the borderline stuff. That is, if I get any good shots."

"That's not what I meant," Ryoga said wearily, glancing back at the smoking wreckage behind them. "The higher-ups are not going to like this," he muttered.

"You said something, human?"

"Nothing," Ryoga said. "Nothing, at all."

A short run later, the two men finally reached their destination, Ryoga somehow managing to keep his sanity before Yuuranga could start a conversation ("It could decide the fate of this world, human!" he yelled). Stealthily, and carefully, they planted their backs against the wall and tiptoed across the hallway to the door of Makoto's room. As the two inched their selves closer and closer, they heard a familiar voice. They pressed their ears against the door.

"...sorry...hurt you..."

"...you didn't mean it..."

Judging by the sound of his voice, Makoto was definitely in his room but he wasn't alone. The other voice had a slightly higher pitch, it had to be feminine― a girl's voice. But who did it belong to? And why were they in Makoto's room?

"Hear that, human?" Yuuranga whispered, pulling out a cellphone and holding it as if were a loaded gun. "That's the sound of two lovers giving each other their innocence. I'm going to get me some good shots for sure. But I'm not too sure who's the girl in there with Makoto. Kyoko isn't here when she was supposed to be here watching her future boyfriend, so it could be her. I think I'm going to snap shots anyway and delete them if it's not the pairing I think it is behind this door."

"You better put that thing away before I break it," Ryoga hissed. "Why do you even want pictures in the first place?"

"That is none of your concern," he stated bluntly in a quiet tone.

"The reason I ask is because I _am_ concerned."

"Irrelevant. The scream came from this room and someone's in there with Makoto doing God-knows-what to him and could possibly be a 'moment'," Yuuranga said. "When I give the signal, we kick down the door and we'll find out if me taking pictures was a good idea. Stand over there and wait for my signal."

Ryoga opened his mouth as if to speak, but instead; he closed it and nodded his head. He quickly slid across the floor, positioning himself against the wall on the other side of the door in one, smooth motion. The two looked at each other, communicating wordlessly.

Yuuranga held a hand up in the air with three fingers.

Three.

Both men readied themselves. One finger went down.

Two.

Yuuranga gripped the cellphone tightly in his hands. Another finger went down.

One.

Ryoga eyes the cellphone in Yuuranga's hand. The last finger went down.

Zero.

Quickly moving in front of door, Yuuranga kicked the door opened, aiming his weapon (the cellphone). Ryoga rolled out from behind him, entering a crouching position, his Taser gun drawn.

"Say cheese~!" Yuuranga said in a sing-sang voice.

"H-Hands in the air!" Ryoga shouted, glancing at the other man out the corner of his eye with an expression as if he were saying, "Really?".

Both men dropped their weapons when they saw who were they pointing them at.

...

They could have been thinking the same thing at that moment, or they were somehow connected by a psychic link.

No, the scene that laid before them could only be expressed in three words.

"What the fuck?" they said in unison.

...

 **To be continued...**

A/N: Well, things are about to get crazy on the island and inside the Future Foundation headquarters if they haven't already. Hajime met two more Ultimates and is now running away from danger, Gundham unleashed the wrath on his Four Dark Devas of Destruction on Kazuichi, Monokuma's lurking in the bushes, Junko started her "experiment" on a poor (or rather lucky) Makoto; acting like a mind-reading crazy b****, and the Future Foundation duo are kicking in doors.

I imagine you have a lot of questions, but I can pretty much guess what you're thinking and these questions must be the ones mostly on your mind...

Where the hell is Kirigiri? Is Naegi going to be alright? How did Hajime know Chiaki? Why is Monokuma there? Did Yuu go Super Saiyan? Are Gundham and Kazuichi going to be hanging out more often? Are these sneeze jokes going to end? The answers to those questions will revealed...

Right now!

She'll be in the next chapter, he is literally screwed, will be explained in a future chapter, he's has an important part of the story, Yuu's just fanboying like a motherf***er (there's a deeper reasoning for that), yes, they will be hanging out more often, and maybe I'll cut down on those sort of jokes.

...

Then again, you really don't have to believe that list of answers because this Mellow Dias might change a few things depending on the feedback he gets. So keep those fingers crossed, guys and gals.

In the next chapter... a lot of crazy stuff's going down. Please leave a review. Comments and criticism are welcomed.

Until next chapter, everyone!


	4. Chapter 1: The Friendly Waves Part3

A/N: You guys thought I was gone, didn't you? Well, you were wrong. When I set a goal for myself, I never stop working towards it until it's achieved, not matter what stands in my way. I made real life my bitch these past months and I couldn't be any prouder of myself. If there was a scenario to describe this, I (me), with all of my personal problems taken care of (me holding a bag of aphrodisiacs and contraceptives), would procced to make life my bitch (a beautifully-endowed woman on my bed). My attitude towards said life to get this chapter out for you guys is, well... I'll let you and your imagination figure that out.

Truefully, I can't believe I've managed to do this despite the heretic schedule I have. But after seeing the story favorite/followers go up and the private messages in my Inbox saying, "Keep going," or "I know you can do it," I said to myself... "Okay Mellow Dias, get your s*** together and let's do this! Those patient guys and gals are counting on you to deliver!" So, I drank 6 Monster (the name) energy drinks and pulled four consecutive all-nighters for you guys and gals. I'm not going to lie when I say I fell asleep a couple of times... but damn those energy drinks were good. Who cares if I've crashed from my caffeine-fueled nights working on this story. It was worth it to finish this chapter and fulfill my commitment to you all.

So before I end this little rant about me making life my bitch, I want to know two things, well three things actually. One: This chapter is longer than the previous one to make up for the time I've spent not posting anything, so grab a snack because this is going to be long. Two: The 'Humor' tag of this is gone because surprise, surprise; I made a mistake. 'Mystery' was originally supposed to be in its place, but I wasn't paying attention when selecting this story's genres. There will be some humor here and there, but this is adventure mystery story; not a sitcom. Additionally, I've been known by my teachers and colleagues for the mysteries I put in stories, pretty good ones to, so there. Keep on reading this story and you'll see what I mean.

And as for three, which I've been receiving a lot of concern messages for what happened to Makoto last chapter...

...

It WAS intention. If you didn't read the beginning author's note for the last chapter, then I highly suggest you do that now and come back here once you've read it.

And with that, I'm done. Besides taking two days off to play Dark Souls 3, I think I've said about everything I wanted to cover here before you get into the story.

On with the disclaimer!

...

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa. Its own by the guys at Spike Chunsoft. If I did, Chiaki would be able to beat Dark Souls 2 on the hardest difficulty. All other characters and series mentioned belong to their respective copyright holders.

...

Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip

Chapter 1: The Friendly Waves Part 3

...

 **Part 1**

Going to the supermarket was probably the best idea I ever had.

Fully-stocked shelves of canned-goods and provisions lined the empty aisles. In front of me, big 20-liter bottles of Cola stood on an even bigger shelf that you wouldn't find at any regular store. On my right, extravagant surfboards were on display and further in that direction were camping supplies, a frozen food section, and a clothing aisle that had outfits ranging in various sizes. This place might as well be a safe haven for the apocalypse.

Just like I expected, there weren't any stuff workers in sight. If this place was anything like Hotel Mirai or the other areas on this Island I've seen so far today, then I― _we_ were the only people here. But just because it may seem to be the case, doesn't mean it wasn't true. After all, I was currently being chased by a man that could possibly hurt me or worse- someone that I should be hiding from right now instead of standing out in the open like an idiot.

My gaze falls upon the clothing section that had giant-sized jackets that were too big for any person. Perfect hiding spot. I bolted for the garment rack and dove under it, making sure to move to the middle where I would have the most space and not have my feet exposed in the open. Now all I have to do is wait here until the man gives up searching for me and go somewhere else.

But what will I do if he does? Only then do I realize that I'm completely unarmed. I didn't think this one through enough. That man sounded like a giant and if he didn't have a weapon, then his whole body would make up for it. I didn't see the guy, but if he was armed, he would have told me beforehand or least show an indication of it.

How am I supposed to defend myself? It there anything around here that might work as a weapon? I still have time until that man finds me. But if I leave now, there's a chance he might walk through the entrance and see me. I shouldn't leave this spot.

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but this is the only chance I have to prepare myself. I don't want to let this opportunity go to waste. I don't know what I'll do if I saw that man again. I was lucky my half-assed, "Tip the Recycle Bin Over" idea even worked the first time.

I exhale a heavy sigh. The longer I kept waiting, the harder it becomes to stay calm. The anticipation for that giant man to appear only made it worse by the second. So far, he hasn't come inside the supermarket. I can hear the sound of my own breathing, but that's just about it. That, and the silence increases my tension. And if that wasn't bad enough, it's hot in here. I guess these jackets _does_ help you keep warm.

My entire body is drenched in sweat, and I've only been hiding for― how long― a minute, maybe. I should probably get a watch sometime in the future. Sweat trickles down from my forehead. I wipe it off with my hand. I have to keep waiting. it's the only option I have.

...

 **Part 2**

It's been almost five minutes since I stayed in this darkness that felt like eternity. I got into a crouching position in the two-minute span when my legs got tired. I should've had a weapon already instead of waiting until it was safe. It shouldn't take him this long to get here. He fell over a recycle bin, not into a bottomless trap hole. Maybe he'd given up and went somewhere else? If so, then I should make my way towards Jabberwock Park.

I stop myself from moving. What if he _had_ given up? What would he be doing now instead of chasing someone he already lost sight of? I thought of the options. He could have found someone else and focused on them. For I all I knew, their lives could be in danger. And it would be my fault if anything were to happen to them.

I thought about Chiaki.

That's right! She was still back at the hotel. Teruteru was still there with her, fixing dinner or hitting on her (probably both). Perhaps that man _did_ lose sight of me and went to look elsewhere. I wasn't all that far away when I left, and maybe he saw me leave, waiting in the shadows. That would probably explain why he noticed me so quickly. If that were true, chances are he probably made it back there to find me. And if Chiaki and Teruteru were there when he did...

I shook that thought out of my head. No. They'll be fine. If those two saw someone they didn't know, they would immediately run away from him or call for help. I sincerely hope they did the first option, then the latter. Yeah, that had to be it. I just have to worry about staying out of sight and getting to Jabberwock Park. Maybe Usami will still be there...

But the more I thought about this, the more it sounded like false hope.

I didn't have to think about it for long until I heard loud footsteps stomping through the front entrance. I guess he didn't give up on chase after all. I almost let out of breath of relief for Chiaki's and Teruteru's safety until my fear reminded me that I was still in danger and immediately held it in. How did he manage to catch up me after falling over a recycling bin? Perhaps he more resilient than I thought he was. I peeked through the small opening of the jackets that hidden me from view and took a look at my pursuer.

Standing a good distance away from me and my hiding spot was a man that looked anything other than friendly. Clad in a black gakuran over a white tank top with blue track pants and sandals, he was a massive wall of muscle. The huge link of chain that hung around his neck with a whistle attached to it only emphasized those features. Strangely, there was these faints strands of lightning-like aura emitting from the corner of his eyes.

This guy was the perfect example of a delinquent and looked intimidating as hell. It was all the most reason for me to stay away from him.

"Hey, I know you're in here. Come out already. I only wanna see your face."

The huge man said that as he walked through the aisles, searching high and low. He even lifted all of the cardboard boxes, as if expecting to find me there. He effortlessly lifted them high above his head with one hand, before placing them back down on the floor. Those boxes might as well have been filled with air.

I saw his gaze turned towards the clothing section...

Right where I am.

I immediately shut the opening that I was staring at him from with jackets like window curtains. Crap! Did he see me? No, he couldn't have. I been quiet the entire time and I made sure everything from my arms and feet were inside this hiding spot. Does he have an ability to detect someone's presence? Of course not. Something like that was only existed in shonen manga and fantasy novels. However, that technique must have become a reality because he was heading towards my direction.

"Are you over here somewhere? The bathroom maybe?... As a man who shit's after an intense work, I know how you feel."

While I wish I haven't heard what he said just now, this guy sounds like he's not going to give up until he finds. Dammit! What I am going to do? If I run now, he'll see me and probably give chase again. I doubt my recycling bin plan will work like it did last time if I ran across one. I mean, this guy has to be an idiot to fall for the same trick twice.

"Jeez... Where did you go? Are you taking a shit? I'll wait out here until you're done, if that what you're doing."

He was getting closer to my hiding spot. His footsteps were approaching me and I couldn't hear them over the sound of my pounding heart. I can feel the vibration of his footsteps and every step was like a death sentence. Sooner or later, he was going to push open this jackets, he'll see me and that'll be the end of it. I wasn't going to take a peek outside. That would be an open invitation to my death. I could only pray that I wasn't found.

If they were a God I didn't hate for screwing up my sort of date with Chiaki, then please make yourselves known.

"Um, pardon me? Are you looking for someone?"

I heard a female's voice came from behind me. Did some holy force answer my prayers? They must have because the sound of the huge man's footsteps stopped just a few feet from me.

"Huh?... Oh, it's you Sonia. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

"It's quite alright. In fact, you couldn't have come at a better time."

"Really? Well, if it's something that I can help with, then I am at your service."

I was more confused than terrified now. Why was this new girl taking to this guy like she knows him? Were they friends? Accomplices? I don't know what's going on, but if gets that guy to leave then that would be good. I listen to them in silence.

"Hehehe... Such a kind gentleman. Well, If I may ask, you wouldn't had happened to see Ibuki around here somewhere, did you?"

"Oh, you must her?... That girl sure has a lot of energy. It's a shame that she doesn't use it for sports. She has the right body to be a sprinter and with her speed, she'll get into the nationals."

"Oh my! Do you really think so?"

"I don't "think"... I know. If she trained herself, I have no doubt that she'll be an amazing athlete!"

"Wow. Um... Not that's it too much of a bother, but what do you recommend me for? In sports, I mean..."

"Hmm... Well, for starters you..."

Their conversation with from looking for someone to sports in an instant. I was slowing beginning to calm down a bit. I slowly took a glance outside.

My savior was no other than a princess. I didn't know if she was actual a real one, but something about her projects 'royalty'. Maybe it was her white porcelain skin? Or her sparkling blue eyes? Perhaps her blonde hair that glitters like fields of wheats? Whatever it is, I'm glad she wasn't looking for me.

The entrance was just a few meters away. Both the princess and that huge man had their full attention on each other. If they could stay like that for just a while longer, I can quietly make my way towards it. Once I'm outside, it's a straight shot to Jabberwock Park, where Usami was waiting for me.

I peek my head out, quickly looking both ways to see if the coast was clear. It was. Slowly, and quietly I step out of the garment rack...

Only to be pulled back in.

My heartrate soared. Someone was here with me, and they were latching on my arm. Who was is? It couldn't be the man. He was still talking to that girl outside. Was there a second person here that I didn't noticed? This is the second time that happened today, the first being my somewhat awkward encounter whit Chiaki. Who was this person? Bracing myself for the worst, I inhaled a deep breath and turned around...

When I did, the first thing I see...

Is red.

...

 **Part 3**

Red. All my eyes could see was red. They couldn't perceive anything else in the world except for that one color. I almost screamed at the sight, but the remainder of me being in danger stopped me before I did.

The cause of that sudden phenomenon made me slide back on the floor on instinct. My sight suddenly returned when I did and I couldn't help but breath a sign a relief that I wasn't permanently blind.

But what stood in front made me wish I was.

Staring down at me from above were a pair of pink eyes. Oddly bright colored eyes inside of a human skull attached to a female body, with skin as pale as ghost. Strands of black, pink, blue and white hair hung lowly from the scalp, mixed together in a maddening array of color. It was as if a hairstylist dyed its hair with megalomaniacal precession. Strangely, there were two horn-like things on top of the head, the kind that is usually seen on an oni. Six thin needles pierced through the outer edges of both ears and two metal rings stretching out each earlobe. A few centimeters away from the bottom lip, three tiny, metal balls hung near it's chin.

Was I looking at a person... or the Grudge high on LSD?

"Hey, um... Are you like, going to leave Ibuki to fend for herself?" it said nervously.

I was so absorbed in its― well, her strange appearance that I almost didn't hear her speaking to me. She talked so loud that I feared she would give away my hiding spot. I quickly stood on my feet with the sudden urge to run.

Come think to of it, why was it― she here with me? How long has she been standing there? I didn't see her in any of the aisles when I came in, nor when I pulled open the garment rack to hide here. Perhaps she camouflaged with the clothes and it the colors concealed her presence. That probably made the most sense, considering that this... girl was particularly a messy paintbrush. A messy, talking paintbrush with needles in it ears.

"Are you hiding for that big guy, too? This is Ibuki's hiding spot, so you need to skedaddle."

"Could you please keep it down?" I say, almost pleading. "And what do you mean 'your hiding spot?' I was here first."

"Nuh-uh!" She loudly protested. "Ibuki was trying to find a place to hide, but then I heard that big guy coming like 'BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!'. Then I tried to hide here, but you were crouching down trying get a glimpse of Ibuki's panties.

"Will you please keep it down?" I say, trying my best to stay silent and not get irritated. "You're going to get us caught! And I was not trying see your panties!"

"Oh my my... Ibuki's senses that's you're a liar," she says angrily. "She may wear a very mature brand, but Ibuki's a very sophisticated girl."

"For the last time, I wasn't trying to see your panties so will please stop misunderstanding the situation and kept it down before we get―"

"Hey, I think Ibuki over there..."

"You mean in the clothing section?"

All the blood in my veins turn to ice. They couldn't have notice us this quickly, could they?

"Yes. I thought she would be looking at the food in the canned goods section but now that you mentioned it..."

"Alright then, it's decided. Let's check there and if we don't find her, then we're search somewhere else."

"Alright. Let's us do this!"

"The will to search for your friend is admirable. I admire your spirit! It's burns with the fires of passion and I shall match it a hundred fold! LET'S US DO THIIIIISSSSSSS!"

I'm both shocked and appalled by their sudden partnership. Are these people insane?! This situation just went from bad to worse in less than ten seconds. I mean, my savior I need to get out of here while I still have the chance. There's no telling what they might do to me― us, if were discovered. But as much as I want to leave right now, something― or rather someone is preventing me from doing so. Ibuki was still latched on to my arm like it was her lifeline.

"Oh no!" Ibuki shrieks. "Their search for Ibuki has intensified and it's making her shiver!"

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you had kept quiet," I say in a hushed voice.

"Grrrr! Blaming this on Ibuki when you're the one tried to take her hiding spot! You must have no soul!" Ibuki says. "Ibuki's thought of a new song! The title is, 'I Going to Gouge Your Eyes Out for Being a Heartless Pervert!'"

"Are you trying to get us caught?!" I say.

"If Ibuki's going down, then at least she'll take someone with her!" she says.

"That's not―"

Before I could get anymore irritated than I already am, I closed my mouth, trying to calm my nerves. Arguing back and forth with this girl wasn't going to do me any good. If anything, it was only going to give me away. If we kept this up, then it's only a matter of time before they find us.

"Um, I think it came over here from in the men's clothing section!"

"Ah! Of course! Ibuki must've token my advice to heart and came here to find a track suit."

"But doesn't the women's section have the same thing?"

"As long as she applies herself to my regiment, then what kind of track suit she wears doesn't matter, whether it be men's or women's!"

"I see... But if she chose to come here to this specific section, then I fear for her fashion sense."

"I agree. Those horns on top of her head make her look like some sort of demon."

"I believe it's called an Oni. It's a type of demon based on Japanese mythology. I've never seen one before, and chances are I never will. And not to sound rude, but Ibuki sort of looked like one first thing I saw her. Her hairstyle, I mean, and not the excessive jewelry."

"I understand what you mean. She seems oddly fond of those earrings and piercings. If she wants to compete in the Olympics at her best, then something must be done about those. I don't think other competitors would try and hurt her, but that jewelry might be a hindrance if someone tears it out or it gets caught on something..."

"Oh, my... I didn't know the Olympics could be scary."

"Not to worry. If anyone wishes to hurt Ibuki, then they have to get through me! I won't let anyone brings harms to those that I train!"

"I see... Now I'm beginning to understand why you're called the Ultimate Team Manager?"

My ears must not be working correctly today. Did that woman just say that huge man is a team manager? With a guy his size, he's better off playing for a team! I know a lot of football teams that need a good player, and that guy over there would be the answer to their prayers.

But he wasn't just any run-of-the-mill team manager. He was the _Ultimate_ Team Manager. Was he also a student here on this field trip? If so, then why was he chasing me earlier? And furthermore...

I glanced at Ibuki, moving back and forth on her heels and doing and awful job on keeping us hidden.

What did he want with this girl who looked like she belonged to a punk rock band?

"I think I hear something over here where the jackets are."

Dammit! That was the man's voice's this time. And from the sound of his footsteps, he was coming towards this hiding spot again.

This isn't good. I want hoping to wait here until they given up and leave, but that wouldn't be happening anytime soon until they found this girl.

A lightbulb went off inside my head.

If it was Ibuki they wanted, I could just make a break for the exit and they can have her. While they're too distracted dealing with her, I can make my way towards Jabberwock Park. That big guy did say she was fast on her feet and if Ibuki somehow escapes from them, then I'll have one less thing to worry about. I might get off on the wrong terms if I see her again, but this idea should buy me some time until I get to Jabberwock Park.

Unfortunately, I wasn't that heartless of a person. I don't even know what came over me when the idea of throwing Ibuki to the wolves popped into my mind. Fear? Anger? Maybe both?

...

When one of my friends is in trouble, I would help them in any way that can. Even if it meant getting chewed out by that person or in rare cases, or in rare cases, the crap beaten out of me. And every time I did, I wasn't doing it out for money, attention or anything like that. Recognition might be good once in a while, but being offered that after helping someone was practically an insult. Call me an idiot if you want, but that's just how I was made.

But regardless of the aftermath, they would greet me the next day act as if nothing happened. And when one of us brought it up in a conversation, we would joke and laugh about it. I guess moments like that is why I could call them 'true friends'.

But I wasn't with someone like that. This girl cowering behind me in fear was a complete stranger, someone that I might never see again after this field trip is over. Ibuki made a good point earlier about me being heartless, and she would be right if I left her to fend for herself. I don't want to stand here and get caught. But longer I did, it would only be matter of time before it happened...

So why I am still here?

Maybe deep down I want to help her, just like I would with any of my friends back home. Maybe deep down I thought I would get something out of it if, like a 'thank you' or money.

And here I am thinking about this when I'm seconds away from being found. With a girl I've considered abandoning nonetheless...

Seriously, what am I thinking?

...

If I'm really want to get the both of us out of this, then I need to think of plan. And I have just the right one.

"Ibuki, I have an idea," I whisper. "But in order for this to work, I need you to trust me."

"Trust you?..." she says dubiously. "Ibuki doesn't know if she can trust a guy who tried to look up her skirt.

"Just trust me," My voice was hard and almost risen to a shout. All the fear I felt was overcome with my determination to help her.

Ibuki glared at me with those pink eyes, but I refuse to back down and locked onto them. For a while, we hold each other's gazes. Then, she let out soft sign of resignation and stared at me. "Okay," she says. "But if you try to take advantage of Ibuki, she'll write a really bad diss song about you."

"That's fine," I say. "You can write all of the songs about me when we escape."

"Ibuki's going to hold you to your promise," she says.

"Good," "I say, nodding. "I like people who keep their word."

Ibuki twiddled her fingers like some embarrassed school girl's. "Hehehe... Did you perhaps developed a crush on Ibuki and want to be alone with her? You quite bold for trying something with someone you've just met..."

My face felt like it went up a hundred degrees. "I-It's not like that," I say. "I just want to help you; I mean _us_ get out of here. And what about being a sophisticated girl?"

She blushed. "Ibuki's kinda a sucker for cool guys," she says.

Wait, what? Since when was I cool? Ibuki shouldn't think that about someone she just met, especially when that said person thought about abandoning her. And her blushing didn't help one bit. "A-Anyways," I say. "Just reach into my pants pocket already."

"Whoa... you really _are_ bold!" Ibuki says. She was grinning like a prankster for some reason. "But if it's with you, then Ibuki doesn't mind."

"N-No, not for that," I protest. "What I mean is, reach into my pocket and grab my E-handbook. I can't do it myself because I need to keep eye out for those two looking for us."

That must have not been the response Ibuki anticipated because her smile quickly upturned into a frown. "Awww, and here Ibuki thought that you were brave..." she says. "Oh well, there's always next time."

What happened to me not trying anything with you earlier? Then again, it's my fault for now explaining myself more clearly.

Just as I said, Ibuki roughly shoved her hand inside my pants pocket rummaging for the time requested. Normally, a guy's reaction to a girl doing this would be ranging from confusion to pleasure. It was an E-Handbook; it shouldn't take her this long to find.

"Hold on. Ibuki thinks she almost got it," she says.

Not that I'm impatient, but could you please speed it up? There's still the wondering threat of two people looking for us and I don't know how long I'll be until they find us.

Even though the rational part of my mind thought about our situation, the other thought about the girl searching for my E-handbook. She stood so close to me that I couldn't help but to smell her sweet, sunflower fragrance, feel her 'mentionables' pressed up against my back, and her hand inside my pocket. My _pants pocket_! I was beginning to regret not doing this myself to spare me the embarrassing agony. At this rate, I was hoping that one of those people _would_ find us. I mentally chant a mantra to maintain my sanity...

 _Please find it, please find it, please find it, please find it, for the love of god, please find it!_

"Ah! Here it is!"

Ibuki cheered, pulling out the E-Handbook and held it out towards me like a trophy. Finally! Now I can put my plan into action!

Ibuki gave me a perplexed look. "Umm... Exactly how is an E-Handbook supposed to help us?" she asks. "We're going to play video games on it until they find us?"

"It's going to be a distraction," I say.

"But how is this thing going to be a distraction? She asks. "That thing is all technological and junk to help us."

As soon as Ibuki uttered those words, her eyes went wide. It was the look of sudden realization. Looks like she and I were one the same page now...

"Oh, could it project a hologram of a scantily clad woman?" Ibuki asked curiously. "Solid Snake would be using those for days to sneak behind enemy lines."

Or so I thought. "...No, it's nothing like that. Just watch," I tell her.

Making one last check to see if any of those two people were near us, I peeked my head out of the jackets and stared at my target across from me.

A surfboard.

When I came in here earlier, there was one in particular that was slightly misaligned for the others. I thought it was the burst of adrenaline playing mind games with me. But now that I'm seeing it again, my earlier suspicion could be put to rest.

This would be the kind of thing that would a get a student kicked out of their teacher's classroom and extra homework. It was tolerable when children were still in primary school and thought that the world was their personal playpen. But as they grew older and move up grade levels, the harshness of reality kicked in once they realized that their actions had consequences.

Of course, I never did anything like that in my life but I was a witness to the aftermath that followed. My mom would kill me (metaphorically) and my dad would probably cut my allowance in half. Troublemaking wasn't hardcoded into my DNA and causing property damage was something only a delinquent would do...

But both of those things were going to save us.

Tightly gripping the E-Handbook in my hand, I eyed my target like a trained assassin. I brought back my arm, like a baseball pitcher winding up their throw, gathering up as much strength as I could into it...

And swung my arm forward...

 **Part 4**

It zoomed across the aisle like a speeding bullet. Crap! That was way faster than I intended! I didn't mean to throw it that hard, but it was still fast nevertheless. But before I could go on a tirade of doubting my own abilities...

The E-Handbook hit the surfboard fin like a bullseye.

Like a tree that's lost its balance, it slowly leaned against one side and fell to the floor with a loud thud. It was enough to get the people's attention.

"Huh? Did you hear something?" the woman asks.

"Yeah, it come from the snack aisle," the huge man says.

"Perhaps Ibuki was over there and we missed her?"

"I dunno... She could be. Let's go over there and check it out."

"I agree."

A few feet away from us, the sounds of footsteps receded. I quickly peeked outside to see if they were gone before pulling back behind the jackets. My heart began to calm down a little. I let out a long awaited breath of relief that was since I began hiding. It might as well have been a huge, collective one because Ibuki did the same thing I did.

"Hitting the surfboard with a E-Handbook to cause a distraction..." She says. "Even James Bond would have been impressed."

"Yeah... I didn't know if that would actually work," I admit. "I'm actually surprised myself."

"But still, you saved me― I mean us..." Ibuki says.

For some reason, she twiddling her index fingers again. What that a thing she did when she was scared? I mean, we did manage to avoid danger for now, so I guess that's an appropriate response.

"Ibuki don't really say this much, but..." she hesitated. "Thank you, um... Sorry. Ibuki doesn't know your name."

That's right. I've just met this girl and we haven't even introduced ourselves yet. While this isn't the most ideal place for introductions, it's only a matter of time until those two gave up and went somewhere else, I might as well do this now. Quietly, of course.

"My name is Hajime Hinata," I say in a hushed voice. "It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"Introductions are a go-go now?" she asked earnestly. "Okie-dokie, Ibuki will give this her all since you saved me."

"Okay, but can you please do it quietly. They haven't left yet, but they can still hear us."

"Oh, sorry about that," Ibuki says, but the way she's bouncing up and down on her feet says otherwise. "I," "Buki," "Mio," "Da!" Put it together and what did you get? Ibuki Mioda! I would've have sounded better if Ibuki was louder."

"I-I'm sure it would," I say reassuringly.

This girl definitely has a shocking bold and... unique personality. Despite labeling me as a pervert and threatening to write a bad song about me, she was surprisingly... calming. All the tension I had a moment go suddenly vanished. Like a wave of calmness had washed over me. I guess I have Ibuki to thank for that.

I can't believe I'm thinking this but... I really hope to get along with her on this field trip.

It wasn't long after that thought, something "beeped".

My heart sank deep into my chest. That mechanical sound was all-to familiar. After all, I've heard it three times today and this would the fourth.

It was the sound of an E-Handbook.

No, that couldn't be it. The one I had used as a distraction somehow gotten by the entrance, just a few feet away from the fallen surfboard. It couldn't have make that loud of sound, right? How did―

Realization hit me like a brick to the head.

Like a slow moving gear, I turn my head to Ibuki. Those cheerful eyes she had were no longer there. Instead, ones filled with pure terror took their place.

It was Ibuki's E-Handbook.

It couldn't have "beeped" at a worst time.

"Hey, that sound came from over there," the huge man says.

"You means the clothing aisle. But haven't we already searched that area?" the woman asks.

"Yeah, but that sounded like an e-Handbook just now, didn't it?"

"Yes. You're right. Perhaps Ibuki was over there and we somehow missed here."

Dammit! Those two sure did managed to connect the dots quickly. I doubt that they would give up on this area easily as before, and there was no guarantee that another distraction wouldn't work the second time. Not when they're this close. At this rate, the option available to us would be to stand here wait for them to find us.

But there was one other thing that we could do and that was to―

"RUN!"

Faster than she shouted, Ibuki shoved me aside and burst out of the garment rack like a bat out of hell, running straight passed the surprised pair of people and out the front entrance.

"H-Hey!" I call after her.

Taking advantage of their shock, I stumbled across the aisle, not bothering to look at the two people behind me and ran outside. I made sure pick up my E-Handbook and shove it inside my pocket as I did.

It didn't take me long for me to spot her running a few meters ahead off me. She looked back and immediately turned her head forward when she saw me. I guess didn't expect me catch up with her so quickly. Or what it something else? I looked behind me―

And immediately regretted it.

That man and woman who was looking for us back at the supermarket decided to give chase. Why couldn't they just leave me alone?! I didn't ask to be chased around an island! I quicken my pace, hoping that the increased speed would shake them off.

"Whaa! You caught up to Ibuki so quickly!" she says astonishingly. "Ibuki thought that you have given your life to save her!"

"Like hell I would!" I yell. "What's the big idea running out on me?!"

"Well Ibuki said 'run', and Hajime-chan had that look in his eyes like that secret agent man whenever he has an awesome escape plan!" she says.

"What does that mean?" I ask, hoping to get an answer.

"Ibuki that you were thinking the same thing she was..." she says. "Y'know, "Two minds, one heart". That sort of thing."

"I don't even know what that means!" I say. "Anyways, let's go to Jabberwock Park. Usami might be able to help us if we get there."

"You want to go all the way there?!" Ibuki says. "But that's waaay too far! Ibuki might pass out from exhaustion by then!"

"But that's where Usami is!" I counter. "If you don't to go with me, then we can always split up―!"

"Denied!" Ibuki says quickly. "That big guy and Sonia-chan might chase after Ibuki and she doesn't want to be alone if they do!"

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" I say, urgently.

Ibuki hummed as if in deep contemplation. How can she do that while running I will never know.

Then Ibuki suddenly shouted, "I got it! We can like, totally go to the airport and hide there!"

"There an airport around here?" I ask.

"Yep!" She answers happily. "There's planes, luggage, conveyor belts, ticket booths, and they even have bathrooms!"

"Which direction is that in?" I ask.

"Ibuki knows the way. Just follow her and you'll be safe!" she says in an oddly, cheerful manner. "Ibuki feels all lighter than air for being so smart. Don't you think so, um..."

Ibuki gave me a confused look.

"Sorry, Ibuki doesn't know you!" she says

"It's Hajime," I say flatly.

"Right, sorry about that," she says, somewhat understanding. "Ibuki doesn't have her memo pad with her, and she tends to forget things when she's sacred."

How long did it take for her to forget my name exactly? She even said it with an honorific just a moment ago. This girl is definitely something else, that's for sure.

I said nothing as I followed my pseudo-partner in crime to the airport.

 **...**

 **Interlude- The Question**

Kazuichi rubbed the tiny scars on his cheeks with a hand as he walked beside Gundham on the sandy pathway. The latter was rambling about how a mortal like him (Kazuichi) survived the wrath of his Four Dark Devas of Destruction, even though he spared him as a gesture of goodwill. "You will tell your children, and they will tell their children of my rare kindness when the Tanaka Empire rules this world," Gundham said as the mechanic tried his best to tune out his "darkness" and "empire" speeches.

They continued towards their destination at a slow and noisy pace (courtesy of Gundham) until Kazuichi spoke.

"Hey Gundham, mind if I change the subject?" he asked.

 **"** As long as the subject interest me, then yes you may," Gundham said. "Ask away."

"Which is better: A Ferrari or a Lamborghini?" Kazuichi asked.

Gundham looked at the mechanic, as if he were a toddler. "You dare ask me such a simple question? I have no need for such transport, but I have over heard such discussions among my many disciples. However, there is only one answer that reigns supreme!"

"And that is?"

"Needeth I say any more?" Gundham said condescendingly. "Fine, then I shall tell you, mortal. The obvious answer is the Lamborghini."

"What?!" Kazuichi exclaimed, completely taken aback. "Lamborghinis are just pretending to be Ferraris. You need to learn how to appreciate a _real_ car."

"I could say the same thing to you," Gundham retorted. "The lowest amount of magical power for a Lamborghini is 550. Compared to a Ferrari's 460, you're looking at a difference of 90, greater than your pitiful excuse of a vehicle. You've have already lost the battle before it even began..."

"It's not about speed, it's about the experience." Kazuichi said. "Do you even know how uncomfortable it is to be in one of those things? I mean, the edges only have an inch― an _inch_ of space between them and the ground. You constantly have to worry about getting them fixed if they fall off or break."

"Irrelevant details," Gundham said dismissively. "Any mortal who favors the same petroleum eater as you will always worry over simple things. You can crawl into your hole and weep for eternity as I unleash the force of 700 horsepower to its maximum!"

"The Supreme Overlord just choose the supreme way to die!" Kazuichi yelled. "You can't make a single turn at that speed!"

"That's the difference between a mortal like you and me, a Dark Lord," Gundham said. "As long as this cursed blood runs through me, the concept of "speed" is non-existent. All the roads in the world might as well be straight for when I paved the pathway in the name of the Tanaka Empire!"

"Having cursed blood or whatever does not make you immune to traffic laws!" Kazuichi said scathingly. "You wouldn't be trashing on my ride if you ever been _in_ a Ferrari."

"On the contrary, because I _have_ travel a small portion of this world in a such a vehicle," the breeder stated.

The mechanic went pale. "Y-You're lying! You probably just test driven it or something!"

"I have my methods," Gundham said coolly. "My many disciples from around the world would gaze in awe as I tell them stories of my glorious expeditions."

"Now I _know_ you're making stuff up!"

"Kehehe... What's happened, Kazuichi? Did all of your fighting spirit vanished when you realized which was superior? Or perhaps you've now know your place in this world?..."

"S-Shut up!" Kazuichi stammered. "Your wannabe Ferrari don't have anything on the real thing. I'll speed right through you and your fur balls!"

Gundham gave the mechanic a fearsome glare. "'You dare refer to the Four Dark Devas of Destruction as 'furballs'!?..."

"I dare because I'm standing up for true Ferrari lovers everywhere!" Kazuichi said, strangely unafraid of the breeder.

"Don't make me angry!" he warned. "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!"

The two stopped and took a few steps back from one another. Kazuichi rolled up the sleeves on his jump suit and Gundham had his Four Dark Devas of Destruction perches on his shoulders, their tiny eyes trained on their target. However, before an epic brawl could occur, Kazuichi dropped his arms to his sides.

"Hey, do you see that?"

"See what?..."

Kazuichi's finger pointed behind Gundham's, whose eyes followed in its direction and saw two people― a boy and a girl― running inside the airport. There was familiar streaks of various light and dark colors in the girl's hair, and an all-too familiar pointy hairstyle for the boy's.

It was the new guy.

And he had _another_ girl with him.

"That bastard..." Kazuichi muttered.

"What?..."

"It's that guy who was all comfy in Mikan's lap on the bench from earlier!" Kazuichi yelled. "And now he's running around with Ibuki."

"That seem to be the case..." Gundham agreed. "However, be that as it may, this doesn't change that fact that you and I have a duel to settle. You insulted my Four Devas of Destruction and for that you will―"

"That does matter right now!" Kazuichi said abruptly, surprising the breeder. "Don't you see? He's trying to put the moves on another girl. He couldn't get enough of Mikan when he faked passing out on the bench, so he decided to move onto Ibuki."

"Where you going with this?" Gundham asked.

"Argh!" Kazuichi seethed. "Don't you understand anything besides darkness?! That bastard over there is trying to add another girl to his harem! That like every single guy's nightmare!"

"I don't understand what that has to do with me," Gundham said bluntly.

"Think about it," "He's probably trying to, uh, take over... take over... your uh, empire! That it! He's trying to take over your empire!"

"And how do you suppose he would take over an empire that hasn't been established yet?"

"Dammit. Uh, what I mean is, uh... he's slowly, uh... building his own empire!" Kazuichi declared.

"He's trying to build his empire by parading around with women?" Gundham asked skeptically.

"Not parading with them exactly. It's more like he's... collecting them,"

"Enough with these riddles," Gundham demanded. "Just what is it you're trying to say?"

"I'm saying he could be a threat to you and your empire," Kazuichi finally said.

The breeder scoffed at his warning.

"Surely you jest. That man is a threat? To ME? Ha! Inconceivable! My name is Gundham Tanaka! The Supreme Overlord of Ice! The Destroyer of Worlds!Anything that stands between me and the Tanaka Empire shall be rendered asunder!"

"Well, that guy over there is a serious threat," Kazuichi said, gesturing towards the running pair. "He's collecting girls and with each one he gets; he grows stronger..."

"Impossible!" Gundham instantly protested. "Could it be?... Does he possess the Demon Blade: Muramasa?"

Kazuichi looked like he had a heart attack and a stroke altogether. "...I said girls, not souls. But I think you understand my point. I think..."

"This cannot be!" Gundham shouted. "How could I have not noticed that mortal possessed such a weapon. Perhaps he's the malicious pretense I've been sensing since our arrival here..."

"I don't know about that," Kazuichi said. "But he gets any more girls, he might take over the entire island. He might even take over the world. And if he does, what will become of the Tanaka Empire?"

Gundham closed his eyes, contemplating the ridiculously-declared notion.

 **...**

 _ **Inside Gundham's Mind**_

Hajime Hinata lounging lazily in a grand chair, clad in celestial robes with a golden, bejeweled crown perched upon his head. A burning city stood tall behind him, the flames of the dilapidated buildings shone brightly in contrast with the pitch black clouds that hung high over them.

"'All shall bow down to their Supreme Ruler!" Hajime's voice thundered from the seat of his throne. "It is the fate of all those beneath me. Riots, uprisings, and all forms of rebellion are futile in a pointless struggle. Empires that swore to take over this world have been utterly destroyed. Princes of royalty have become slaves to my precious gem mines and their princesses have been added to my expanding collection of decadence. This is the power of the Hinata Empire, and its almighty glory shall remain glorious for all eternity! Fuhahahahah!'"

 **...**

 _ **Back to the real world**_

"That is a rather... disturbing image," Gundham muttered. "However, an empire built upon a menagerie of women without walking through a road of corpses is simply an illusion."

"But you thought about it, didn't ya'?" Kazuichi said mischievously.

Gundham glared at the mechanic. "And what if I did?"

"Then you I have a common enemy," Kazuichi said, seemingly unafraid of the breeder's stare. "Let's put aside our differences and work together to stop that bastard for making that illusion a reality."

"As if I would join force with a pathetic mortal," Gundham replied coldly. "When the moment presents itself, I will crush him with my overwhelming power and I will do it alone."

"Hey, don't join brush my offer aside!" Kazuichi said. "If you're gonna build your empire or whatever, don't you need, well, I dunno... an underling or something?..."

Almost instantly, the breeder raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

Kazuichi scratched the back off his head with a sheepish grin.

"I mean, you might need someone to like, help you with your conquest and follow your orders. I can be Sherlock Holmes and you can be my Watson," the mechanic said.

"Ha! You think you command _me_?" Gundham said. "You misunderstand your role, Kazuichi Souda! I am the master and you are the servant! I am a walking cataclysm that yields to no one but my own!"

"Then it's settled," Kazuichi said. "I'm looking forward to working with ya, comrade!"

Gundham made an unpleasant face, as if he had heard the most tragic news in the world. "'Comrade?'... You are but a servant to the Dark Lord. A title such as 'comrade' is something that is earned on the battlefield. You are centuries away from calling yourself that."

"If you're done rambling, then let's go to the airport," Kazuichi said, strangely excited. "If we get there in time, he won't be able to convert Ibuki."

"It seems that our duel will have to be postponed for another time," Gundham conceded. "Very well. Your first duty as my servant is to follow me to where I will confront this foolish mortal that dares to oppose the Tanaka Empire."

"He didn't exactly oppose you, but whatever," Kazuichi said. "And I'm not your damn servant! We're partners!"

Within a few minutes, the newly-formed master and servant pair (partners in Kazuichi's perspective) stood in front of the airport's entrance. They both eyed the spectacle happening between the so-called "bastard" and Ibuki behind the glass. Gundham, however, grew tired of the scene and had already opened the door, which Kazuichi noticed and followed after him.

They both walked towards the pair through the surprisingly noisy, but empty lobby, Kazuichi walking a few steps faster than Gundham.

"Hey, you two! What are you doing over there?" Kazuichi called to them.

Their argument ceased as Ibuki hide behind the bastard like a really bad, Scobby-Doo parody.

 **...**

 **Part 5**

The inside of the airport was surprisingly big.

The lobby was wide and empty, almost like a desert. However, just like one, it was devoid of life and instead of the scorching heat one would expect in that environment, this place was freezing cold. The converter belts circled the luggage area with backpacks and suitcases, which I doubt had anything in them. Beyond the wide pathway and past the glass windows stood airplanes and jets in various sizes. I didn't know whether they were working or not but I wasn't going to waste time finding out.

I ran towards the doors that were part of the departure lounges. I pulled on the metallic handles as hard as I could to force them open. No good. The doors must be locked. That was to be expected considering that the only people on this island were us students. Al least, that was what Nagito thought before a giant man and my savior-turned-pursuer chased us.

I steep away from the doors. This isn't good. I hoping we could hide in here until they went away. But since these doors were locked, that idea was out. I looked back at Ibuki who was staring back at me with scared eyes.

"Aw man, what are we going to do?" Ibuki says. "The doors are locked and Sonia-chan and that big guy was going. "

"Don't talk like that," I say. "There's other places in here that we can hide. This just isn't one of them."

"You have an idea? Ibuki can't really think all that well when she's scared so you must be like super composed, um...

She gave me that confused look again.

"Hey, does Ibuki know you?" she asks.

"It's Hajime..." I say my name for the third time today. "Hajime Hinata."

"Oh right! You're Hajime-chan!" Ibuki shouts, her eyes wide in realization. As soon as she did, Ibuki glared at me. "Hey! You're the jerk who tried to stare up Ibuki's skirt."

My one-hundred-degree face made its return. "That's not what happened! Didn't we settle that matter?"

"Nope! We just had to stay quiet because that big guy and Sonia-chan were after us," she says stubbornly. "But then you did your secret agent thing and saved us. Ibuki is thankful for that, by the way."

Yet you labeled me as a pervert.

"Anyways, is there somewhere else we can hide in here? Like a bathroom or a place with little light?" I ask.

There was that prankster-like grin again. "Wow... We're on the run and Hajime-chan is trying to be alone with Ibuki again. If she somehow survives this, Ibuki should write a new song about this experience. "I Lost My Virginity in an Airport to a Mysterious Pervert."

"I'm not mysterious and I'm not a pervert!" I yell at her.

"Then why were you looking Ibuki's skirt back at the supermarket?"

"That was not what happened and you know it!"

Technically, it did happen but not for the reason Ibuki thinks. And if l let her know that, I'll never hear the end of this.

"Then why are trying so hard to be alone with Ibuki?" She asks. "It's not the end of the world and she doesn't want to have the burden of crying a stranger's child placed upon her like that. There's gotta be things like bonding... before we do things like that."

"Will you stop misunderstanding the situation?!" I say.

"Hey, you two! What are you doing over there?"

I tensed up after hearing the new voice. Ibuki took that moment to hide behind me, using my body as a shield.

"H-Hey, why you hiding behind me?!" I ask, shocked by the sudden action.

"So you can be Ibuki's human shield, duh!" she says.

"What kind of person does that after someone saves them?!" I say.

"This one!" Ibuki says proudly, pointing a thumb to her chest.

"That doesn't make you sound any better!" I say.

Right during my little tirade with Ibuki, I heard the sounds of approaching footsteps? Who was that? Were those the people that were chasing us? They weren't all that far away from when I looked back and I certainly didn't do anything like tipping over a recycle bin to delay them. clenched my teeth, as if to relieve me of some of my tension. I hope that it isn't them.

Quickly turning my head towards the source, I saw the person who was chasing us.

Or so I thought.

There wasn't a giant man with chains around his neck or a princess, but rather a young man, clad in a sickening, yellow jumpsuit. Not to be rude, but this guy stuck out like a sore thumb wearing it. And if that didn't draw anyone's attention, then the pink rock star-like hair crudely stuffed under his beanie sure would have. This guy had the biggest ear-to-ear smile plastered all over his face, revealing a set of razor sharp teeth, like a shark's. If his intention was to make himself noticeable, then he passed with flying colors.

Then there's the guy standing a short distance behind him. Pale skin, a black jacket, a purple scarf covering his mouth, weird hairstyle, and a bandaged left arm. The strange thing― well, _things_ about him were his red right eye and the grey, lightning-bolt scar that run through his left. Give this guy a demonic sword or a weapon of mass destruction and he would be the perfect main antagonist in a shonen manga. Or at least the leader of some insane cult group.

A part of my mind told me to steer clear from this guys, and the other thought they would form the perfect power trio (music) with Ibuki.

However, despite these guys' sudden appearance and the perplexed stares that were giving us, Ibuki was the first to speak.

"Kazuichi-chan!?..." Ibuki says, surprised. She stepped out from behind me, relieving me of my 'human shield' position. "What are you doing here?! Ibuki thought you would be stalking Sonia-chan by now!"

"What you do think you take me for?!" The jumpsuit guy named "Kazuichi-chan" yelled.

"A creepy, guy who stalks princesses for a living," Ibuki says. "But at least you're better than Hajime-chan. You don't try to look up a girl's skirt and try to get them alone when they're at their most vulnerable."

"Are you trying to label me as sexual-deviant?!" I say.

"Yes! Ibuki wants you to be brought to justice for your heinous crimes!" she says.

"I don't want to hear that from someone who sounded consensual about it a minute ago!" I snap at her.

"So you admit it!" Ibuki says, pointing a finger at me. "Ibuki's so proud that she can write an 11-minute song about her achievement!"

"That's not that what I meant!" I say.

For someone who practically relied on me for protection a minute ago, she sure did change her attitude really quick.

"Hey, aren't you the new guy?" Kazuichi asks.

"Y-Yeah. I'm sorry to ask you this but can you―"

"Cease your pleading! For I have seen beyond your deception!" the cultist broke in.

"What?..." I say, still shocked from the interruption.

"Oh my! So Gundham-chan's on Ibuki's side?" she asks.

"Your problems are of no concern to me, songful one," he says. "I know of your true intentions! Attempting to convert such a care-free woman to your cause? Ha! Your efforts are futile in the presence of the Dark Lord!"

"I don't know what you're talking about..." I say.

The cultist Ibuki called 'Gundham' chuckled as if I just said a funny one-liner.

"Feigning innocence so you can abandon your ally like feeding a sheep to the hungry wolves... I admire that tactic," he says. "However, even someone as evil as I know that you can't build an empire without allies."

"Ibuki don't understand most of that mumbo jumbo you said just now, but she heard 'convert' and Hajime-chan was about to do that!"

"Will you stop trying to make me out as a sexual deviant!?" I yell. "I'm not trying to convert you and I don't intend to!"

"Heeeey, what's all this 'convert' business about," Kazuichi asks in an obvious teasing tone.

"Hajime-chan was trying to get Ibuki alone in the bathroom so he could have his way with her!" she says.

That piece of not so helpful information almost made Kazuichi leap right out of his jumpsuit.

"Whoa, dude! You move that fast!?..." he says incredulously.

Faster than he spoke, Kazuichi quickly approached me while breaking the rules of personal space. Then quickly looking both ways like some secret agent, he put an open palm across his mouth and whispered.

"What's your secret? Do you use a catchy one-liner?" he asks.

"He looked up Ibuki's skirt," Ibuki says.

That unnecessary piece of information earned her a long-drawn whistle from Kazuichi, impressed by my accidental mishap. "Daaaaamn... That's like a silver achievement for a really hard video game."

His eyes lit up with glee. "You know who would like this: Chiaki! I've wanted to talk to her before, but I could never think of something to talk about."

Almost a second later, Kazuichi snapped his fingers.

"Maybe if I told her this, I bet she'll be wanting to know more!" he says cheerfully.

For some reason, Kazuichi's words made an alarm go off inside my head. It was all of the blood cells in my body screamed, "NOOOOOOOO! STOP HIM!".

"I-I don't think that's a good idea," I say quickly. "I mean; Chiaki may like video games, but I don't think it's a good idea telling her about that."

I just met the girl not too long ago. If this guy started spreading weird rumors about me, I might get a "GAME OVER". Not to mention I'll lost all of my flags and the affection gauge would drop to zero and― Why am I thinking about this?

Come to think of it, I wonder what Chiaki's doing now?

...

 _ **Inside Chiaki Nanami's Cottage**_

Chiaki's pink eyes gazes at the television screen as the dialogue automatically progressed.

" _There's nothing on either side, is there?"_

" _What's that supposed to mean?"_

" _Ah, sorry for the confusion: I was talking about your breasts."_

" _Guh... It's called dressing modestly! I'll have you know I'm a C cup!"_

" _If you're a C cup, I'm packing twelve inches!"_

Stuffing her face with a handful of potato chips, Chiaki watched as the game transitioned to the puzzle section. "Yep. Hajime is definitely like the main character in this game..."

Smiling to herself, Chiaki grabbed the PSVITA by her side, which were both connected to a gaming console and a laptop in a sprawling array of wires and cables...

And her smile instantly turned into a frown.

"Aww, I got salt over all the gamepad..."

...

 _ **Back at the airport**_

My objection to Kazuichi's plan earned me a suspicion look.

"Huh? Why not?" he asks, glaring at me. "You don't have a thing for Chiaki, do you?"

"N-No! It's nothing like that!" I protest, thinking about those strange memories of Chiaki that appeared the first time I met her.

"He's obviously trying to get on Chiaki's good side so he can look up _her_ skirt, too!" Ibuki says.

"You're not helping!" I tell her.

"It matters not," the cultist suddenly says. "His uprising will end here... For there could only be one!"

"If this were a movie, it would be a perfect modern day adaptation for 'Highlander'!" Ibuki says.

Ignoring Ibuki and the cultist, I turn to Kazuichi. "Anyways, I was going to ask you if you can take Ibuki somewhere safe. Leaving someone with a bunch of strangers isn't the best idea, but I'll be right back after I get help."

"Help?" Kazuichi says curiously. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

"He's just making an excuse to avoid from his fated destruction," the cultist says. "A wise decision on his part."

"I don't have time to deal with you." I say firmly, turning back to Kazuichi. "Can you please take Ibuki with you until I―"

"Stop right there!" the cultist yells. "You dare brush me aside like a mere commoner? Do you know who it is you anger?!"

"I sorry about being rude, but I really need to―"

"Do you know who I am?!" he says haughtily, sending the most fearsome glare in my direction. "My name is Gundham Tanaka. The Supreme Overlord of Ice! I will be the one that rules this world and you dare ignore me?! For that you shall _**burn in the fires of pandemonium!**_ "

"Whatever. I don't care," I say without even looking. "Two people are chasing us and they'll be any minute. You guys should hide somewhere. They might try to hurt you."

"Wait, what?! Who the heck's chasing you?" he asks. "You aren't trying to pull a fast one on so you can meet up with Mikan, are ya'?"

"Wh-What?! Who the heck's Mikan?" I demand. "I've only heard that name once today and don't even know who that is."

Kazuichi looked surprised at my honest answer. "Seriously?! She's the girl you tried to put the moves on when you passed out at the bench!"

"I passed out at the beach?..." I ask, wholly confused by this new information.

"Damn right you did!" he affirmed. "While Usami was passing out the e-Handbooks, you passed out. Don't you remember?"

"No. I don't remember any of that..." I say honestly.

"Beach?..." Ibuki says, obviously out of the loop. Two seconds later, she smacks a fist inside of her open palm as if she had struck inspiration. "Oh, that right! Hajime-chan _did_ passed out at the bench. He went down like a sack of potatoes."

Now _I_ was out of the loop. "I did?" I ask.

"You did!" Kazuichi yells, strangely upset. "How can you not remember?! You had everyone so worried that we thought you were dead! And for some reason, Nagito was smiling like some lunatic while you were unconscious. That guy creeps me right the fuck out..."

"That like, totally it!" Ibuki says, nodding. "He's the kind of guy who would watch the Human Millipede while eating chocolate bars!"

"Argh! Couldn't you say popcorn instead?! Now I'm gonna have nightmares about that..."

Not wanting to visualize Ibuki's thought about Nagito for the sake of my mental sanity, I continued. "A-Anyway, what about me passing out on the bench... What happened after that?" I ask.

"Oh, well, except you having your head all cozy in Mikan's lap until me and Nekomaru carried you to your cottage, that was it."

"I see..." I say. "Thanks for doing that by the way. I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble."

"Nah, it's no big deal." Kazuichi says, rubbing the back of head. "To tell you the truth, I was trying to get away from Mahiru so I didn't have to do all that work."

That's right. Nagito mentioned someone by the name too when back at the cottages. Judging by how fast he was trying to leave, that girl must be a very strict person.

"Ya' know, since me and the "Dark Lord" over there is already here, we might as well introduction ourselves," Kazuichi says with an ear-to-ear smile. "Name's Kazuichi Souda. I'm the Ultimate Mechanic. Nice to meet ya'!"

"Got it. My name's Hajime Hinata. It's nice to meet you too," I say. My gaze wondered to the cultist standing behind him. "And who's that guy over there glaring daggers at me?"

"Oh, him?" Kazuichi says nonchalantly, pointing at the cultist behind him. "That's Gundham. He's my partner. For some reason he 'calls himself the Dark Lord and the Supreme Overlord of Ice. Seriously, that guy should pick a title and stick with it..."

"The names that I'm known for were earned from the battlefield. It just shows how wide the gap between me and lesser beings are." The cultist named Gundham says. "As my servant was telling you, my name is Gundham Tanaka. Remember it well, for it is the name that will one-day rule this world!"

"Now you do understand why he's called that?" Kazuichi says.

"Yeah, I get it," I say flatly.

He laughed a bit, perhaps at me understanding his point or a joke. Maybe both. "To think that Gundham and I thought you were gonna take over the island. There's no way a cool guy like you would ever do that."

"Don't trust me so easily," I say in my best evil villain voice I could manage. "I could be using this opportunity to deceive you and when you guard is down; I can begin my conquest."

"You fiend!" Gundham says, a finger pointed at me. "So that _is_ your true intention. Ha! I've already seen through your deception millennials ago! Never underestimate the power of the Evil Eye."

"Calm down, Gundham. I was just joking." I say, laughing a bit.

"Joking, you say?..." he says, a bit surprised. "You should know than to say such foolish words in the presence of the Dark Lord. I could've destroyed you where you stand."

Silence filled the lobby. Then, a few seconds later...

We all burst into spontaneous laughter.

"Kyahahaha! "Oh man! Ibuki never laughter this hard in her life, except when she watched a season of Modern Family," Ibuki says, holding her stomach in laugher.

"Damn, dude! You really got us with that one. 'I could've destroyed you where you stand'!" "Kazuichi says, wiping away a tear from his eye. Hilarious! Hehehe..."

"Splendid... You laugh so joyfully even in my presence," Gundham says with a small smirk. "Kehehe... You entertain me, Hajime Hinata. For that, I shall show you mercy and spare your life. But only this once..."

While I was trying my hardest to control myself, I noticed that the tension I had was gone. That's the second time today this happened. To think that just moments ago, me and Ibuki were running for our lives and now we're sharing a laugh with strangers we― well, _I_ didn't even know...

I guess... I have those two to thank.

Kazuichi Souda and Gundham Tanaka... Despite this two being an unlikely pair like me and Ibuki, they seem like decent people I can talk to.

I think... I'm going to get along well with them.

And right on cue, the sound of my E-handbook made itself heard. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the device.

This thing was the reason that nearly got me and Ibuki caught. It wasn't her fault that her E-Handbook beeped at the wrong time, but I guess I can share the blame too for not figuring out that she had one of these. Anger swelled from beneath me when just from looking at it and I almost had the urge to break it.

Sure enough, a new notification in the top left corner indicated that I have received two Hope Fragments. My title must be the Ultimate Hoper Fragment Gatherer because I got 6 of these in one day without even trying. I put the E-handbook back into my pocket.

"Hey, Hajime-chan..." Ibuki says, her laughter finally dying down with ours. "Don't you think that big guy and Sonia-chan are taking way too long to get here?"

"That is strange..." I say, musing. "They were right behind us and we weren't that far apart from each other."

"Maybe we got lucky and they've given up on us already," Ibuki says thoughtfully.

"I doubt it," I answer. "That big guy didn't seem like the type to give up. I don't know about the princess, maybe..."

"Well, whoever's chasing you guys sure is taking their sweet time," Kazuichi says.

"Don't jinx it, Kazuichi-chan!" Ibuki yells. "Ibuki doesn't like curses!"

"Whoops. My bad," he says, apologetic but in a care-free fashion. "But you got nothing to worry about, we didn't see anyone following you when you guys come in here."

"You're jinxing it again!" Ibuki says.

"Enough with your childish illusions about magic spells," Just whom were you running from anyway?"

"Those two people over there!"

My eyes peer in the direction where Ibuki's finger pointed. There was the entrance―

And before I knew it, the doors flew open.

...

 **Part 6**

In front of the entrance stood the huge man that was chasing us back at the supermarket. Behind him, riding piggy-bank and looked like she ran a marathon and gave up halfway was the princess.

"Whoa, you sure did give us a lot of trouble," the huge man says with a big grin. "You're pretty fast on your feet. I admire that..."

"Please... Wait..." the princess says in a slow, tired voice. "We need... to talk..."

"Damn, they found us!" I say, because a small part of my mind thought that we were safe from them.

"Were you two being chased around by them?" Kazuichi ask. "What the heck's going on?"

"Ibuki and Hajime-chan are playing "Hide and Seek: Life-Threatening Edition!" Ibuki says suddenly.

Her explanation or whatever that was confused everyone one of us. Even those two people by the entrance looked the same.

"Huh?..." Kazuichi says, a confused eyebrow raised. "Hide and seek?... Isn't that a kids' game?"

"What is the meaning of this? Explain yourselves," Gundham says. His and grey and red eyes stared into mine's, demanding an answer.

I turned to Ibuki and whispered. "What are you trying to do, Ibuki?"

"Don't worry, Hajime-chan," she says reassuringly. "Ibuki has an idea that can get us out of this."

I was about to protest, but then I stop myself. I have no ideas to help us escape. Sure, I'm a quick thinker in most situations, but not when danger suddenly made its appearance. By the time I've realized that, Ibuki was talking again.

"A full-throttle, action-packed, extravaganza that pushes the limits of strength, speed, and endurance to their breaking point. Ibuki and Hajime-chan will be the first contestants ever to dive right into the action; tracking down their enemies, scoring headshots, and unleashing killstreaks, all to stand on the top spot and win the grand prize."

Now I'm more confused than I already am. When Ibuki said that she was going to get us out of this, I thought she meant a distraction. Instead, she's giving this speech about a game of hide-and-seek that doesn't match with the rules. It sounds like something that describes a first-person shooter and while I'm trying to understand the intentions behind Ibuki's plan, I found myself interested in the idea. I bet Chiaki would too, considering that she's a gamer.

And for the curious faces of Kazuichi and Gundham, that idea must be golden.

"Man, I have no idea what you're talking about... but whatever is it sounds awesome," Kazuichi says. "Is this something that you can play on a console? 'Cause I took apart my PS3 back at home and I was in the middle of putting it back together."

"Computerized simulations are not needed for such an event," Gundham says. "Scouring the battlefield, slaying enemies in the name of those you ally yourself with, and claiming their lives as your reward. The sensation of welding the blade and clashing against your foes is not just a battle of hearts, but beliefs as well, something that your computerized simulations could never achieve!"

"Dude, what are you, a samurai?" Kazuichi says. "A sword's not going to help you in a gunfight. Well, unless you're in close range and you can kill them before they pull the trigger.

"It matters not what weaponry the enemy has," Gundham says almost dismissively. "One must fight to the bitter end, even against impossible odds. That is the warrior's code and all must follow it until the very end."

"Are you sure you're Ultimate Breeder?" Kazuichi asks.

"We'll continue speaking of the subject another time," Gundham says. "I'm more interested in this 'grand prize' the woman spoken off. Tell me, songful one, what is this 'grand prize' you've spoken off?"

"Oh, that's super easy. The grand price is a kiss on Sonia-chan's lips. Tongue included!"

I almost felt the urge to face palm myself. What about your plan to getting us out of here? It's only a matter of time before those people standing over there come get us. The fact that it hasn't happened yet is ridiculous and this 'grand prize' Ibuki suddenly declared is even more so. No one in their right mind would ever play―

"Whoa! Can I play too?! You gotta let me play! I have to play! I'm gonna win that grand prize for sure!" Kazuichi says excitedly.

Or so I thought.

"The grand prize is of little interest to me," Gundham says. "However, my Four Dark Devas of Destruction have been riled up and they desire bloodshed. I, as their rightful master, must see to it that their satisfied. Would this game allow their presence, songful one?"

"It sure can!" Ibuki says cheerfully. "It's a free-for-all with Hajime-chan's and Ibuki's lives on the line!"

Ibuki's game that sounded like a first-person shooter just turned into all-out brawl. And from what can tell, the grand prize doesn't sound consensual from the giving party. But it doesn't stop Kazuichi or Gundham's competitive (?) spirits.

"What do I gotta to get me that sweet grand prize?"

"Tell me how I can participate in this game songful one, or I shall destroy you here you stand!"

"Roger that!" Ibuki says. "All you gotta do is distract that big guy and Sonia-chan while we run away to base. If you can do that, everyone wins!"

"Alright!" Kazuichi says, pumping his fist in the air. "I'll help you guys out and come out on top!"

"Hold on, servant!" Gundham yells "Your Master demands that you stand down. Only the chosen one is allow such an honor."

"I'm not your goddamn servant!" Kazuichi says. "I'm getting that grand prize no matter, even if I have to go through you!"

"You dare defy your Master?..." Gundham asks rhetorically. "It seems you need to be taught a lesson in obedience."

"Like hell I will! Kazuichi says.

Faster than they could finish their verbal dispute, they bolted towards the huge man holding the princess, both who looked absolutely terrified at the incoming pair. I was still stunned at the unbelievable and ridiculous display of good fortune that I didn't noticed Ibuki pulling on my arm.

"Come on, Hajime-chan! Now's our chance!" she says.

'But what about Kazuichi and Gundham?" I ask.

"Don't worry about them! They'll be fine! Run!"

Before I could protest any further, Ibuki had already began dragging me towards the door. That big guy may be distracted for now, but who knows how long it'll last. I glanced back at Kazuichi and Gundham.

"I'm sorry!" I yell to them. "I won't forget this!"

"Don't sweat it!" Kazuichi answers back. He had the eyes of a true competitor. "Now get to base so I can get my grand prize!"

"You'll have to wait another century for that!" Gundham yells. "I will be the victor! Not you! _Me_!"

At this point, Ibuki had already given up on trying to drag me towards the entrance and ran ahead. I was about to get mad at her for leaving me behind again until she said a quick, "Ibuki's isn't going to ditch Hajime-chan,". Those reassuring words and the possibility that this was karma for what I thought about doing to her back at the supermarket quelled my anger.

"Hey, what are the heck are you two doing?!" the big man yells. Despite his size, he's struggling to fend off both Kazuichi and Gundham. "Can't you see I'm carrying someone here!"

"Don't I perhaps get a say in all of this?" the princess says.

Their voices become smaller and smaller as I run outside of the door. Ibuki was a few meters ahead of me but in a matter of seconds, I caught up to her.

"Wow, you're a fast runner Hajime-chan!" Ibuki says, astounded. "This is the second time you've caught up with Ibuki and you don't look tired at all. Are you, like the Ultimate Sprinter?"

"I don't know about that. And I only run fast so I couldn't be left behind again."

Ibuki smiled at me. "You must really like Ibuki if you want be close to her like this," she says.

I'm not going to argue with Ibuki and her misunderstanding the situation. She could think I was her Prince Charming for all I care. Correcting her would be wasting oxygen for my lungs that desperately needed it.

I could hear voices yelling from behind me. Quickly, I turned my head and saw...

The most horrifying thing I've seen on this island.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest at the horrifying sight.

That huge man was charging towards us at full speed like a raging bull, still carrying the princess piggy-back style, who had a wide smile on her face. A gigantic dust cloud trailed behind him and it seemed to get bigger every second.

"STOOOOOP! WE WANT TO TALK TO YOOOOOU!" the huge man bellowed.

"Please waaaaait! We want to talk to yooooou!" the princess, imitating him in her own voice.

"Crap! How did they catch up to us so fast!?" Ibuki says, terrified as I am.

"Worry about that later! Just run!" I tell her.

I sent all of the energy into my legs and ran. My arms were pumping harder with the increased speed, almost synchronizing with my heartbeat. Ibuki became a multi-colored blur in my peripheral vision as I sped past her.

"Hey, don't let Ibuki behind!" she yells. "She isn't the Ultimate Sprinter unlike Hajime-chan!"

"Sorry! I was trying to run for my life!" I say.

"Hey, you're pretty fast on your feet. But even so, there's no way you're going to beat me! Let me show you the speed of 1000 horsepower!"

Form behind me, I could hear-― no, _feel_ the sound of incoming footsteps. They increased in magnitude and speed, and they were getting closer to us by the second. My heart almost sounded like a drum in my chest when I felt the shadow of the man appeared over my head. I dare not look back, because the moment I do, I fear that my heart, along with me, would stop.

"So this is what 1000 horsepower feels like!" the princess says. "The horse carriages back in my country could never go this fast!"

"Holy crap! That big guy just went to into Super Mode! What do we do?!" Ibuki says frantically.

"We keep running!" I say without looking back. "If we get the Jabberwock Park, Usami might be able to help us!"

"Jabberwock Park?..." "Oh, so that must be your goal! I won't allow it! As the Ultimate Team Manager, I will never let one of my athletes get the better of me!"

"Yes! We won't allow it!"

Dammit! I couldn't have chosen a worst time to say that! Now they'll never let us out of their sights. It's only a matter of time before they caught us or figure out some shortcut to cut us off up ahead, a possibility I didn't know could exist from me memorizing a map in a few seconds.

"Gaaah!" Ibuki screams. "That big guy is right behind us! Why didn't Kazuichi-chan and Gundham-chan distract them?"

"I don't know," "But if those two are behind us then..."

The thought of Kazuichi and Gundham laying in the airport in a pool of blood appeared in my mind.

No. They'll be fine. Ibuki said so herself. After all, these people chasing us were only after me and Ibuki. They wouldn't kill two people that got in their way...

Would they?

That thought didn't last long when it was interrupted by a new sound.

"Hajime!"

I almost froze upon hearing that familiar voice. No way... Could be it...?

I glanced out of my peripheral vision and saw...

Kazuichi and Gundham.

They were running towards us just a few feet behind that big guy. Both of them were covered from head to toes in dirt, looking like ancient statues that were given new life, each with an apparent hand mark on the side of their faces. I almost felt myself smiling until I saw their expressions.

They looked... angry. Really angry.

Oh no.

"You bastard!" Kazuichi yelled. "You lied to us! There was no grand prize!"

"Attempting to deceive us with false rewards?... It seems that I underestimated you. However, such treachery will not go unpunished," Gundham says. "I shall inflict the pain that I've felt upon you a thousand fold!"

"Wh-What?! Why me?! I say. "Ibuki was the one who said it!"

"Only because Hajime-chan told her!" Ibuki says quickly.

"No I didn't!" I told them. "Ibuki, why are you lying?!

"Sorry, Hajime-chan!" she says. "Ibuki's really scared and she had to shift the blame onto someone else!"

You sneaky, little...!

"I knew it!" Kazuichi shouts. "You _are_ trying to take over the island! You had Ibuki lie to us so you could leave us behind!"

"Ibuki didn't lie!" she says. "Sonia-chan should've gave you the grand prize!"

"Oh, we got a grand prize alright," Kazuichi says, pointing at the red hand mark on his cheek. "We got a hand across our face! Miss Sonia is never supposed to slap me across the face!"

"She had a particularly good reason for doing so. You interfered with your Master's plan and needed to know you place," Gundham says.

"I am not your damn servant!" Kazuichi snaps back. "In case you forgot, you got slapped too!"

"Only because I failed to teach you a lesson myself," Gundham say harshly.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Dark Lord," Kazuichi say, rolling his eyes. His gaze focused on me now. "This all your fault! You turned Ibuki against us and now you did the same thing to Miss Sonia."

"What are you talking about?" I ask. "I never tried to turn Ibuki against you! And you and Gundham getting slapped wasn't my fault! That was Ibuki's!"

"Only because you told her to!" Ibuki says, trying to sound innocent.

"No I didn't!" I say for the second time. "Stop making me out like some sort of criminal mastermind!"

"Sorry, Hajime-chan!" she says. "Ibuki's really scared and she had to shift the blame onto someone else!"

"You've already said that before!"

"When I catch up to you, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Kazuichi yells. "They'll have to give you a prosthetic right arm when I'm done with ya'!"

"You will do no such thing!" Gundham says. "I would have destroyed him long ago before you get the chance, as least whenever I give your permission."

"I not need your permission to kick someone's ass!" Kazuichi says, running ahead of him. "Get back here, Hajime!"

"Yes, Hajime Hinata... Stop this futile resistance and accept your fate of total destruction at the hands of the Supreme Overlord of Ice, Gundham Tanaka!"

"Your petty vendattas will have to wait another day!" The princess says. "I would rather like to have his ass not kicked when I speak to him."

"And I would rather have his body not destroyed when I speak to him," Nekomaru adds. "He shows great physical prowess ever when he's near his limit. No doubt he'll be a great athlete if he trains correctly and I will be his trainer! The Ultimate Team Manager, Nekomaru Nidai!"

In less than five minutes while I was running for my life, I was upgraded from a sexual deviant to a criminal mastermind, with the giant man who called himself Nekomaru Nidai while carrying the princess named "Sonia-chan" chasing us. And now, Kazuichi and Gundham were dead set on inflicting bodily harm on me in the worst ways possible...

All because of this girl running beside me.

Ibuki Mioda, my so-called backstabbing "partner in crime" who was trying her damnedest to blame me for― if I can call them, crimes that I didn't commit. And yet, I still saved her back in the supermarket...

And because I thought she could be my friend.

"God dammit, Hajime..." I whisper to myself.

"Did Hajime-chan say something?" she asks.

"No, nothing..." I say. "Nothing at all..."

My heart felt a bit heavy as me and Ibuki proceeded further along the sidewalk, our pursuers hot on our heels.

...

 **Part 7**

My efforts for saving Ibuki might as well be all in vain.

The accumulating fatigue I tried so hard to fight was about to set in. Bends of sweat that haven't rolled down my neck dripped into my eyes, making it hard to see. It would only be a matter of time until my legs began slowing down or my entire body suddenly stops working, and the angry crowd behind me tears me to shreds.

That giant-man named Nekomaru and the princess called "Sonia-chan" riding on his back might "talk to me" right before they kill me. Kazuichi and Gundham looked pretty upset and might want a piece of the action as well. One moment I was sharing a laugh with those two, and now they're chasing me with murderous intent in the next. I don't know the reason behind their behavior, but there was one thing I learned from the short time I spend with them...

They aren't very good friends.

Ibuki might be the only one capable of getting to Jabberwock Park at this rate. She definitely has more stamina than I do, and as tempting as it was before, I wasn't going to ditch her to fend for herself. I can't be a jerk, otherwise I won't get the "Best Friends Ending", Chiaki might say.

I need to tell Ibuki about how things are going to unfold she needs to do when it does.

"...Ibuki... you're the... better runner..." I say. "...Go to... Jabberwock Park...without me...I'll try to..."

Lose them.

Before I could say those words, I saw something.

Up ahead, standing in the distance, was a black pillar. The gleaming sunlight combined with the sweat in my eyes made it difficult for me see what it was. As I kept running, the pillar gradually came into focus.

What I saw a meters ahead of me wasn't a pillar, but rather, a tall girl. She had tanned skin, almost like those girls who like to sunbathed at the beach. It rare to see people in Japan with that particular skin color nowadays, but for me, it would be the first time.

It wasn't just the color of her skin that caught my eye. Her state of dress was rather... unique. Her chestnut colored hair was somewhat unkempt and the short-sleeved shirt she wore had a few of the top buttons undone, exposing a lot of her cleavage. I'd avert my eyes from the sight if the only direction I could look without tripping or falling wasn't forward.

Regardless of all of that, there was irrefutable one truth.

She was a person.

A living that wasn't chasing me.

Someone who could help me.

I ran towards her with newfound speed that didn't know I had. Was it perhaps an adrenaline rush from the excitement of finding someone. No, that doesn't matter now. I can worry that later when I'm not running for my life. Once I felt I was within earshot distance, I called to her.

"Hey! Help me! We're being chased by crazy people!"

"Crazy?..." Kazuichi says. "You're the one whose crazy! You're the one running away from us!"

"Because those two are trying to kill me!" I yell back.

"Kill?..." Nekomaru says. "What are you talking about? I would never do such a thing!"

"This is all just a misunderstanding!" the princess says. "Please stop running! We can explain this if you do!"

"We can explain it all right. Right after I kick his ass for lying to us!" Kazuichi says.

"The Sword of Justice shall cleave you in twain for your deception, foolish one!" Gundham adds.

"Both of you! Seize your bickering!" the princess ordered.

While their pursuit of us and their arguments doesn't seem to be relenting, it had increased Ibuki's fear had even further.

"Crap! They're going to paint the sand red with Ibuki's and Hajime-chan's blood!"

"No, they aren't!" I say. "We just have to get to Jabberwock Park and get help!"

"Ibuki gets what you're saying, but there on us like white on rice!" she says. Her eyelids slowly dropped halfway over her eyes. "And Ibuki is kinda getting tired..."

"Don't give up, Ibuki!" I say. "Just hang in there. Everything is going to be alright!"

My words of reassurance couldn't guarantee the outcome that she wanted. It may be a false promise― perhaps even false hope― but I wasn't to say anything depressing to lower Ibuki's spirit. If we kept pushing until we reached Jabberwock Park, then all this craziness will be over.

But will that really be it? There's a chance that Usami might not even be there. She could probably be doing other things, maybe even looking for me when she saw that I was running late. By the time we get to Jabberwock Park, she might already be gone. And even if we do get somehow manage to get there, how is one teacher going to help two students who were being chased by people who wanted to kill them?

No. What am I thinking?! I need to stay positive! There was no telling what might happen. If Usami's waiting for me like I hope, then everything will be resolved. And If she wasn't, then... we'll cross that path when we get there.

The girl that I called a few seconds appeared to have heard me because she was running towards my direction. I almost stopped in fear of a head-on collision until I forget that there were people chasing after us from behind. Maybe we'll be okay after all. That girl coming into closer view with an ear-to-ear smile was the answer to my problem.

However, my prayers were dashed when she stopped in the middle of the sand...

Then leapt into the air like a rocket with a fist flying towards my face.

...

It is still too soon to be an atheist?

 **Interlude- A New Opponent**

Akane Owari punched the air, yelling each time as she repeated the process with the other fist. She had been at the beach, training for her next fight with coach Nekomaru, or least she was until Fuyujiro had to mess everything up. As angry as she got from being badmouthed by him, Peca assured her that he wasn't trying to be rude. However, being called a couple of bad names wasn't going to stop her from training, so she got over it and moved elsewhere.

Now, here she was by the airport, training without being disturbed by any unnecessary distractions. Akane did a few soaring roundhouse kicks and flying uppercuts here and there, but as impressive as she was by her own sudden improvements from coach Nekomaru's advice, there was one problem that made itself known...

She was starting to get bored.

Sure, someone could casually walk by her and she could test a few of her new moves in a sparring match, but that would only alieve her ever-increasing boredom by a small amount. She needed a strong opponent, someone like coach Nekomaru to fight. That Poyo girl with the bamboo sword looked like a pretty good opponent. Her power level was equally as good, too, ranking 8 out of a possible 10. Yes, she would be able to try out her... super move that had a cool name she had just forgotten.

So before she left, Akane challenged her, hoping to get the fight that she wanted.

However...

 _"I need to stay here with Fuyuhiko," she said. "Also, it's unwise to challenge strangers to a fight. Perhaps another time when I'm not busy..."_

That cold response nearly made her want to go to the cafeteria, pig out on all of the ice cream in the fridge, and call it a day. Why have a sword when you're not going to fight anyone with it? But as much as she wanted to bug Piko until she accepted her challenge, she couldn't stop training even for a second. Perhaps there was someone else on this island she could fight in the meantime. At least until she saw coach Nekomaru again.

"...That mechanic with the shark teeth? Nah, too weak. What about that guy who calls himself the "Dark Lord"? He's weak, but stronger than that guy. The princess? Weaker than those two. Maybe the nurse?..."

Akane's mind stopped working temporarily. Two seconds later, she continued.

"Nah. A fly could prolly her and the fight will be over before it even starts. That girl with the kimono's always picking on her, and _she_ might put up a better fight than her."

Akane needed to fight someone. Someone that wasn't too weak, but could also give her a run for her money. But where on this island does a person like that even exist? Where?...

It was at that moment, her desired opponent appeared in her mind.

The new guy.

He was the only person she hasn't challenge to a fight yet (or at least didn't turned her down like everyone else). He was a strong opponent, her gut feeling told her so and it haven't let her down yet! She didn't know the guy's name, but she'll know it eventually before she challenges him. It was like... a warrior's code or something.

She recalled him muttering some weird stuff earlier on the bench today― what was he it said? Something about a... "project" before passing out on the sand. She didn't see him anywhere on the island when she was doing... parkour, Akane thought. Maybe she missed him while she was swinging from coconut trees? Perhaps he was down with the flu or something. Weak people do get sick after all, and he _was_ talking to himself like one of those crazy people in those white jackets with the long arms― What were they called again? Straitjackets! That's the word!

But regardless of that all that junk, he had a certain... air around him that told that he was very strong at the time. She couldn't stop thinking about it, even now when she was training.

Akane didn't notice that her arms and legs had stopped moving.

Yes, that new guy would have to do, at least until she found coach Nekomaru and asked to spar with her again. She should probably wait at his cottage until he awoke. But what if he was expecting her and plotting a sneak attack? Akane scratched the back of her head. She should probably start with a roundhouse kick and figure out the rest when they're fighting. Or maybe she could hide from him and when he steps out of his cottage, she could go for the Superman Punch. There was no way she was going to let the new guy get the drop on her.

The excitement alone was enough to make Akane's stomach grumble. She couldn't fight on an empty stomach, after all. Best to chow down on some delicious food so she can be ready, she supposed.

Akane had only token a step until she heard someone voice's in the distance.

"Hey! Help us! We're being chased by crazy people!"

Akane turned her attention to the source, and a just a few meters was coach Nekomaru (Finally! She can have a rematch!), running with Kazuya, Gohma, and Sony. It looked like they were having a lot of fun. Why didn't they invite her to join?! She was like, the ultimate fan of running... and fighting... and eating... and sometimes hopscotch. That Fubuki girl was with them too from the looks of it, and running beside her was...

The new guy.

Akane felt all the blood in her body burn like fire when she saw him― her new opponent. Her rematch with coach Nekomaru would have to wait until she fought the new guy. With renewed vigor, she ran towards her opponent with lightning speed.

However, as Akane was inching closer and closer to him, she forgot all about her ingenious strategy. Should she call him out in front of everyone? Maybe she should― Oh, who cared about that complicated stuff?! She should just go with the Superman Punch and get this fight started. His fighting power was pretty high when she felt it before, so he should be able to dodge it, right? And if he did, maybe the new guy wouldn't mind sparing with her then...

Mustering all the strength in her legs, Akane kicked off the ground. She shot up into the air like a rocket, pulling back her arm and while she descended towards her target, punched forward. She'd practiced the Flying Superman Punch all day; her start-off was perfect, her form perfect, and her follow was about to knock this guy into next week. And he was just running towards her, as if he _wanted_ her to throw the first punch! There was no way the new guy would be able to block it, no way to counter it, no way to...

Dodge it?

 **Part 8**

Time seemed to stop at that moment. It felt as if Mio Grando just activated 'The World'.

Above me, high up in the air, was the tall girl I called for help. In front of me was a fist, her fist, and in a few seconds, it was going to collide with my face. At the speed I was running, and the distance between me and her that was getting increasingly shorter by the second, it was most likely inevitable that I would be on ground writhing in pain.

However...

"DOOOOOODGE!"

Someone pulled on my arm and my whole body went with it. Surprisingly, I didn't seem to lose my footing or speed. The flying girl went sailing past me and punches the giant man behind me, dropping the princess and knocking down Kazuichi and Gundham with like dominoes.

What... the hell just happened now?

Before I was about to get what looked like a Superman Punch to the face from the tan-skinned girl, someone pulled me aside. And instead of connecting her fist to my jaw, it connected with Nekomaru's, talking everyone behind him down with him like a chain of falling dominoes. I should consider myself lucky. If that punch had gotten me...

Come to think of it, who was it who saved me?

I turned my head towards the direction of my savior, but instead I see a lowered head of multi-colored streaks, twiddling her fingers together.

"Ibuki... Did you save me?" I ask.

Without so much as to looking at me, the girl in question chuckled awkwardly, as if to answer my question. "Ibuki thought you were going to get clobbered and she didn't want to be left alone... So Ibuki thought she might save you."

I was almost taken aback by her explanation. She saved me just for that? I don't know if other people might have thought the same thing about someone who was a complete stranger, but they should be grateful for saving their life regardless of the aftermath. I was one of those people. "Thanks Ibuki. If we get out of this, I'll make sure to pay you back."

"Okey-dokie, Hajime-chan!" Ibuki says. Now she was looking at me with a cheerful smile, despite being embarrassed from helping me just now. "Ibuki will never forget that promise! And she'll never forget what you did back at the supermarket, even if you _kinda_ did look up Ibuki's skirt."

She still thinks I tried to do that. Why do get the distinct feeling that I won't be hearing the end of this anytime soon? "I know you're tired, but once we find a building to hide in, we can take a break and hopefully lose these crazy―"

" _ **YOOOOOOOU!**_ "

"...Huh?"

Before I could finish my sentence, I heard a loud, angry voice from behind me. I tried my hardest not to look back, but my sense of urgency combined with my fear made me turn my head. What my eyes saw...

Nearly made my heart explode.

Nekomaru, unaffected by the damage from that Flying Superman Punch, was back on his feet once again, running towards us with the speed of a speeding locomotive. This time, he was carrying both the tan-skinned girl who punched him with said technique and the princess. All of them with the exception of their carrier were covered with in small scratches and bruises.

How can that guy have so much strength after falling over a recycling bin, getting punch in the face, and still move that fast while carrying _two_ people?! Then again, I'm not one to talk. Despite being all kinds of tired myself, I've ran from a hotel, to a supermarket, to an airport, all to get to Jabberwock Park. How am _I_ not tired, I wonder? I guess the same can be said for Ibuki too since she stuck with me this entire time. Well, at least Kazuichi or Gundham wasn't anywhere in sight...

Or so I thought.

They came rushing up from behind him, looking even more angry than before. They too, had scratches and bruises of their own.

"Dammit! Stop running!" the tan-skinned girl called out. "Coach Nekomaru wanna talk to you! And I wanna fight ya'!"

"Oh my g― Will you give up already!" I yell. The way these guys shrugged off their injuries and still chase after us was annoying. If the situation were different, I would admire their stubbornness but this was just ridiculous!

"Never!" Nekomaru says. "An team manager never gives up on their athletes, just like they should never on striding to become better athletes!"

"But Ibuki is not an athlete!" She says. "Ibuki is a guitar goodness and her heart only belongs to playing music and tasty riffs, not running all day!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what you have both been doing for this entire time?" the princess asks. "Neither of you don't seem to be fatigued in the slightest."

"Even Ibuki has to against that!" She says. "Ibuki That big guy doesn't seem to be tired at all. He's carrying two people, you included!"

"For perfectly good reasons, I assure you," she says. "Anyways, perhaps you would like a consider a change of careers? I've heard that the music industry is rather cruel and Nekomaru does make some surprisingly good points about athleticism."

"Of course I do!" Nekomaru agreed. "If you're endurance isn't a sign of potential greatness, then as the Ultimate Team Manager, I must be blinddddddd!"

"You people are insane!" I yell at them

"Stop running, dammit!" The tan-girl yells back.

"Cease this foolish resistance, you fiend! You only postpone the enviable!"

Ibuki chose that moment to scream again once she realized how dire our situation was. "What do we do, Hajime-chan?! They don't look like they're to give up, no matter what we do!"

"Just hang in there, Ibuki! Jabberwock Park is past the beach and around the bridge!" I say.

"Ibuki will try! It's only a matter of time before they catch up and kill us both!" she says.

"Don't say that! Just keep running!" I say, trying my best to encourage her.

I look straight ahead. There were palms tree, a sandy shore, and a sparkling, clear ocean. Further ahead a bridge hovered over the ocean. It all looked pretty, but this was no time for sightseeing.

We were almost there. All we had to do was cross the bridge over to the central island, and this will all be over.

I don't even know why I'm even running anymore. People were chasing me. I don't know where I am. Why I'm on an island? Why was I being chased? What the hell is going on?! Why is this happening to me?!

Negatives thoughts boggled inside my mind. It was until I noticed those words were coming out of my own mouth, as if both my lips and brain were on auto-pilot.

"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit _oh shot oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit_ _ **OH SHIIIIIT**_ **!"**

My endlessly stream of profanity continued as we headed towards the beach.

 **Interlude- The Beach Sword**

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu and Peko Pekoyama stared at the ocean. The sounds of waves crashed against each other and the leaves of coconut trees swaying slightly against the wind's gentle breeze only added to the serene silence. Sunlight rained down it's warm rays upon them, never relenting until the day ended.

"Young master..." Peko called out. "Is this okay?"

"Hell no," Fuyuhiko replied. "What okay's about being stranded on an island with assholes?"

"We're not entirely. There's enough food to last us until the field trip is over and Usami assured us that we are in no dang―"

"I know that! I'm asking _why_ are we here!"

"I wish I can answer that," Peko said. "For now, we should focus on collecting the Hope Fragments..."

"I ain't getting friendly with those bastards," Fuyuhiko said. "I could have none of those damn Hope Fragments and I wouldn't be caught dead hanging around them."

"I see..." Peko nodded. "Perhaps we should focus our attention on escaping the island..."

"Do whatever you want," Fuyuhiko said with a wave of dismissal. "If you wanna get all friendly with those bastards or escape, then that's all you. I'm not going to judge you either way."

"Are you issuing an order?" Peko asked.

"I'm not giving you an order."

"If it is you will, then―"

"That's not any better," Fuyuhiko said. "Whatever you do is up to you. I'm not going to tell you what to do every damn time."

"But young master―"

"We've already went over this. While we'll on this island, we're just normal high school students. So enough with this 'order' and 'young master' crap."

"Then if I cannot address you properly or follow your orders, then what you prefer me to do instead?"

"How about addressing _me_ improperly and doing whatever _you_ feel like," Fuyuhiko said. "You've been doing that so far around everyone else, so why stop now?"

"But wouldn't that be strange for a tool to have that much freedom?"

"It's only strange if you think of it that way. And you are not a goddamn tool."

"But am I tool who only exists to serve―"

"We are done with this crap!" Fuyuhiko yelled. "You are not a tool and you don't take orders from me! Just forget about that and... do something. Stay here at the bench, go swimming, talk to those bastards, build a sandcastle I don't care. Do whatever you want."

"Very well. If that is what you wish, then I shall carry out your order."

"What did I just―"

Fuyuhiko sighed, shaking his head in frustration.

"Whatever. Just go already. I need some time alone from all this bull―"

His eyes went wide.

"Hey, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?..."

"Just listen."

Peko placed a hand to her ear, as if to hear something better.

"It's sounds like it's coming from the airport," Peko said. "And it's getting closer..."

"Yeah..." Fuyuhiko's eyes narrowed. "What the hell is that?"

Both of them heard the sound of yelling and incoming footsteps in the distance. It didn't take them either of them long to figure out what the screaming was...

"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit _oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit_ _ **OH SHIIIIIT**_ **!"**

And that source followed by a multi-colored blur zoomed past them, still screaming profanity as they faded away in the distance...

A few seconds later, Nekomaru carrying both Akane and Sonia, who were followed by Kazuichi and Gundham, came rushing past them like a stampede.

It was only a moment after seeing that all of that Fuyuhiko spoke up.

"...What the fuck was _that_?" he asked.

"I don't know... But it looked the new student was being chased by the others."

"Wait, you're talking about that bastard who passed out on the beach?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Why is he running away from― Nope. I could give a rat's ass about him, just like these other bastards

Fuyuhiko returned his attention towards the beach, but just as he was about to turn around, he noticed Peko still looking at the groups that just past.

"What? Don't tell you actually want to join them in whatever the hell they're doing." Fuyuhiko smirked. "If that's what you wanna do, I'm not gonna stop you. Don't blame me when I said I told you so."

"No, it's quite the opposite," Peko said. "I sense an evil presence coming from the central."

"You're talking like that crazy-ass 'magician'," Fuyuhiko said. "What about this 'evil presence'?"

"I can't quite describe it in words, but it's... bad," Peko said.

"Sounds like you're trying to make an excuse to join the fun," Fuyuhiko said.

"That the never my intention," Peko assured him. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but may I―"

"I already know where this is going," Fuyuhiko cut her off. "Go. I'll be in my cabin if you need me."

"But Young maste―"

" _Go_ , Peko!" Fuyuhiko said, his voice hard and firm. "I need to be alone anyway, so that makes this all the more perfect."

"I―" Peko began, but she stopped herself and nodded. "Very well. I'll be back momentarily, young master."

"Fuyuhiko."

"Hm?"

"You can call me Fuyuhiko. We've been together since we were little, remember?"

Peko turned to him with a small smile. "... I understand. I'll be back, Fuyuhiko."

With those words, Peko took off in the direction of the central's island's cross bridge.

Once she was out of sight, Fuyuhiko kicked the sand, cursing under his breath.

 **Interlude- The Nervous Maiden and the Red Sun**

Byakuya Togami taps his foot on the pavement impatiently.

"Where are they?" he demanded. "They should've been here half an hour ago."

"Who knows," Mahiru said, shrugging her shoulders. "That new guy sure can be unreliable, even on his first day."

"M-Maybe he got lost on the w-way here," Mikan suggested. "This island is big so it possible..."

 **"** Even if he did, it shouldn't take him this long to get here," Byakaya pointed out. "Doesn't he have his e-Handbook to use as a map?"

"Nekomaru told me he left his e-Handbook in his cottage when Hajime passed out," Nagito answered. "I even drew him a map when Usami wanted me to check up on him. I'm sure."

Mikan and Usami both wailed as one, their screams matching with their terror-stricken faces.

"You seriously left him alone?!" Mahiru gasped, her face visibly pale. "Why would you do that?!"

"Oh?" Nagito looked surprised and puzzled. "Mikan said all Hajime needed was sleep?"

"Y-Yes! But everyone knows not to leave an unconscious person who had just awoken all by their self!" Mikan practically screamed. "T-They might need help getting up, need something to eat or drink. Maybe even more bed rest..."

"Yeah, Big Bro Nagito," Hiyoko suddenly mocked. "Even _I_ know that and I'm not a boring nurse like that pig bitch over there."

Her insult earned her a bop on the head, courtesy of Mahiru Koizomi.

"While I don't doubt Tsumiki's expertise, you should've token more precaution when you left," Byakuya said sternly.

"Mahiru needed my help with some of the work here," Nagito said.

"That's no excuse," Byakaya countered, brushing off the lucky student's explanation. "She could had asked someone else when they were here or simply done the work herself. Drawing him a map does not change the fact that he was brought here against his will. He was suddenly through in this strange environment and I have no doubt that he's just as confused as we are."

At that fact, Nagito scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Jeez... Getting scolded by the leader on the first day and risked getting Hajime lost. I just can't seem to do anything right on my own. But that's why you're our leader."

"Of course," Byakuya said with a condescending smirk. "Something like leadership is expected of me."

"And there he goes again, talking like he owns the place," Mahiru lamented.

Ignoring the photographer's verbal jab, Byakuya continued. "Regardless of your mistake, we may need to go search from him in case he _is_ lost."

"Yeah, I agree," Nagito said, nodding. "Trash like me can't stand around while everyone else is hard at working."

"Y-You don't have to go look for Hajime," Mikan spoke up, making the two men turn to her. "I was supposed to stay with him until he woken up so I'll go get him..."

"Mikan is offering to volunteer?" Nagito asked in astonishment. Almost a second later, his eyes widen and he smiled pleasantly at the nurse. "Oh, now I get it. You must have a thing for spiky haired guys."

Mikan's blushed various shades of red at the proclamation.

"W-W-What?! T-That's not it at all! I-I just want to check up on him!"

"There's no way that Big Bro Hajime would ever get with a trashy skank like her," Hiyoko objected, still rubbing the top of her head. "She's disgusting!"

"S-She's right!" Mikan agreed. "I-I'm disgusting!"

"See? Even the bitch agrees with me," Hiyoko proudly said. "I bet she wanted to do all sorts of nasty things to him in his sleep."

"So that was your plan..." Nagito mused aloud. "That would compromise your professionalism as the Ultimate Nurse. I expected more from you, Mikan."

"Eeeek! I-I'm sorryyyyyy!" Mikan wailed, quickly held her arms over her head, as if defending herself from being struck.

Mahiru's hand went across the offenders like a blur, bopping Hiyoko on her head and slapping Nagito around his face almost simultaneously.

"Oww! What did you do that, Big Sis Mahiru?" Hiyoko yelled, slightly teary-eyed.

"Because you deserved it," Mahiru simply said. ''Where do you get off saying that Mikan-chan can't go out with Hajime?"

"But I told the truth!" Hiyoko said an almost child-like voice. "Big Bro Hajime is too good for that trashy ska― Ow!" Mahiru bopped her the head before she could finish her sentence.

"You don't know that," Mahiru said. "I mean, Hajime may look unreliable, but I think Mikan-chan still has a chance with him."

"I-It's not like that!" Mikan protested, her face still red. "Nothing like that at all!"

"C'mon, Mikan-chan. If you don't show a little more spirit, then another girl is going to take him away from you."

"Like I said, it's nothing like that at all! Besides, he'll probably hate me."

"Don't talk like that," Mahiru said encouragingly. "I'm sure Hajime will thank you when he sees you. I mean, what kind of person would hate someone who helped them?"

Mahiru suddenly stopped dragging her resisting classmate.

"Now that I think about it, he probably doesn't know that you did," she said.

"A-All the more reason he shouldn't know!" Mikan exclaimed, trying desperately to wretch her arm from Mahiru's grasp but to no vail. "I-I'm clumsy and I a-always make trouble for everyone."

"No, you don't," Mahiru said softly. "If Hajime didn't know about you, then he wouldn't know how much of a good person you are."

"Do you... really think so?"

"I know so," Mahiru said with a smile. "What you did for us told me that much. You gave Hajime your lap to rest his head on and you examined me and Hiyoko when you thought we were injured. If that doesn't say you're a good person, I don't know what does."

Hiyoko went pale when she heard the "examined".

"I-I was just doing my job," Mikan said, wiping away her tears. "I'm the only medical worker here, and it would be bad if anyone died. So I had to do something."

"And that right there is why you're a good person," Mahiru said as she placed a hand on the nurse's back. "No one wouldn't have that much concern about someone's health, especially a stranger. Well, maybe except a heartless one. But you understand what I'm saying, right?"

The question started the nurse more than the evaluation of her deeds. "I... I suppose that wouldn't be entirely true if I wasn't a nurse."

"But you would've helped away, wouldn't you?" Mahiru asked.

Mikan went silent. Mahiru took notice of this and smiled softly at her.

"See? You're a good person... Just like I said you were," she chided her, lightly patting the nurse on her back. As she did this, her smile grew into a grin, almost an ear-to-ear one. "And the kind of person that Hajime would want to know."

"I-I guess... but..." Mikan hesitated, clasping her shaking palms to her chest. "Umm... I'm sorry. I don't even know where to begin..."

"It's okay," Mahiru said with sudden and strange perkiness. "Just talk a deep breath, look him straight in the eye, and never lose focus. If you take it one small step forward at a time, then I'm sure you will do just fine."

"Will it really turn out that way?" Mikan asked tentatively.

"I'm positive," Mahiru affirmed with a nod. "I'll even cheer you on from the sidelines. After all, us girls gotta stick together. Isn't that right, Hiyoko-chan?"

A few feet away from the two, Hiyoko was muttering to herself, the words "pig bitch" and "skank" came under her breath. She didn't seem to hear Mahiru, so she called for her again. " _Right_ , Hiyoko-chan?" She said with a bit more edge.

"Huh?" Hiyoko sputtered, almost jumping at her name being called. The dancer gazed at Mahiru in obvious confusion before turning away. "U-Uh, yeah... I guess..."

"U-Um... I... uh..." Mikan sputtered, her eyes nervously looking left and right until they stopped on Mahiru. She was still smiling at her and the nurse could only stare at her like a long-lost lover until she finally said, "Th-Thank you very much."

"It's no problem at all," Mahiru said happily. Almost immediately after those words, she turned to Nagito with a fierce glare, the latter with a smile on his face. "And as for you! Did anyone ever teach not to play with a girl's emotions? Were you not asked out on a lot of dates in high school?"

"I was just joking around earlier," Nagito explained. "I never meant to offend her."

Mahiru sighed heavily, a hand to her hand. "Jeez... When it comes to feelings, you guys are the most insensitive."

"That may be true, but that isn't the case for all of us here," Nagito stated.

"Of course it is!" Mahiru retorted. "Guys like you always say the first thing on your minds without even considering how that person feels."

"If we didn't have good intentions, maybe. But I assure you I'm not one of those people," Nagito said calmly, in spite of Mahiru's anger. "Trash like could never disrespect women. It's just not in my DNA. At times, I can be a bit harsh, but I only act in their best interest."

"Wait a minute," Mahiru said. "You make it sound like you know how to deal with girls."

"in a matter of speaking, yes. But not in the way that you think."

Mahiru raised a confused eyebrow to this. "...Huh?"

"I don't get it. He's talking like a crazed nutjob again," Hiyoko said.

"Well, if have to be more specific, I mean to say is that I'm experienced in... that area."

"That area?..." Mahiru said dubiously. A few seconds later, her eyes widened as she realized the meaning behind Nagito's words. "D-Don't tell me..."

"What? What is Big Bro Nagito talking about?" Hiyoko asked, obviously clueless about the subject.

"I'm talking about dating of course," Nagito finally said.

Silence filled Jabberwock Park when Nagito uttered those words. Mahiru's expression was a mixture of horror and confusion, Hiyoko looked exactly the same. Mikan face was beet red, her eyes spinning like hypnotic pinwheels. Usami looked as if the cotton inside it's body shrank. Byakuya's eyebrow twitched for a moment before he returned to his usual devices.

The silence was broken when Mahiru said the first thing on her partial functioning mind. "...Huh?"

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Nagito asked. "I know I can be a bother at times, but I really mean―"

"Shut up!" Mahiru yell, an angry finger point at him. " **You** went on a date? With a girl?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Nagito said. "To think that someone so hopelessly plain as me would experience something so beautiful."

"Y-You liar!" Mahiru said defiantly. "There's no way a girl would ever go out with you!"

"Yeah, Big Sis Mahiru's right!" Hiyoko added, finding the new information impossible to absorb. "You look like someone who would try to invite children to the back of your van with candy."

"And this is coming from someone who looks like one of those children," Mahiru said.

"N-No I don't! I'm way too sophisticated to be tempted by something childish like candy," Hiyoko said.

"Yet you stole Byakuya's bag of gummy bears while we were working."

"Wait, what?!" Byakuya said, eyes widened in shock.

"I-I understand that someone like me dating is a bit hard to believe, but I'm afraid that's the truth." Nagito said.

"There's no way I'm going to believe you!"

"That's the usual response whenever I'm involved in that particular subject," Nagito said. "For someone to even look in my direction and acknowledge me is, in the slightest, a sign of good fortune."

"What the hell happened to my candy?!" Byakuya demanded.

Not paying a mind to Byakuya's frantic search for his sweets, Mahiru continued. "Just what kind of 'Ultimate Lucky Student' are you anyway?"

"My talent is pretty much garbage compared to everyone else's," Nagito said. "It nothing more than having good luck is all. The fact that I'm unremarkable will never change, with it or without it."

"It must not be if you had a date..." Mahiru countered, rubbing the back of her head. "Or so you say."

"Saionji, I demand you to tell what did you do with my candy."

"You still don't believe me, huh?" Nagito said. Crossing his arms over his chest in in a matter of fact gesture, he sighed. "That's fine. Someone like me would probably bore their date to death. It wouldn't surprise me if they left the table to take an hour long phone call and never come back. I mean, there's no way that trash like me would ever experience something so wonderful, so beautiful, so... hopeful."

Nagito winked at all of his fangirls outside the screen.

"Big Bro Nagito, do you have something in your eye?" Hiyoko asked.

"I don't know," Nagito said. "Maybe it was a speck of dirt from the wind..."

"I-If that's the cause, then I recommended wearing protective eyewear, like glasses for example." Mikan suddenly said. It even made Byakuya put his search for his sweets on hold. "It may also be a good idea to carry eye drops to prevent redness or irritation of the eyes."

Mikan didn't noticed that everyone's attention was focused on her during her explanation. After the last word was said, she immediately took notice of this and gasped, covering her hands in shock, as if she had uttered some forbidden word. Fresh tears were already brimming in the corners her eyes as she did this.

"Ah. I got ahead of myself!" she screamed, shutting her eyes in fear. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. "I-I'm sorry!"

"No, it's okay," Nagito quickly said, holding his hand up in defense. "Any health advice from the Ultimate Nurse should be taken to heart. I think I'll start wearing glasses from now on."

"You'll look like less of a cancer patient if you do," Hiyoko jeered.

At this, Nagito's face contorted into a pained expression. "Ouch, that hurts. Even for someone as plain as me, that hurts a lot."

"Yeah, Hiyoko. A lot of people with cancer would be offended by you what you just said," Mahiru said, glaring at the girl. "They might chase you down with torches and pitchforks."

"Ha-wa! Having cancer is already scary enough!" Usami said. "There's medicine and surgeries to stop it, but there's no absolute cure as of yet."

"Yeah, I know all of that stuff," Hiyoko said curtly. "It's a horrible disease that doesn't have a cure. Though it wouldn't be too bad if that bitch over there had it."

Mahiru bopped Hiyoko on the head once again.

"Oww! That hurts, Big Sis Mahiru."

"You went too far that time, Hiyoko-chan." Mahiru said. "How would you feel if _I_ had cancer?"

Upon hearing the hypothetical question, Hiyoko looked as if she had a heart attack. "What?! Y-You have cancer?"

"No. But did you see how you reacted when I told you that?" Mahiru lectured. "That's how other people feel when they find out someone they cared about have that disease. So don't say things like that to anyone, especially to Mikan-chan. I know she would be sad if she found out you had cancer."

Hiyoko gave Mikan a look, who was trembling with teary eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest in an angry, almost child-like gesture as she turned away from her with a "humph'. "...I guess." She muttered. "But can you please stop bopping me on my head like that? If you keep doing that, I won't have that may brain cells left and I'll be dumb like that pig―"

That earned her yet another bop on her head.

"We already talked about this," Mahiru said sternly. "You get one every time you're mean to Mikan-chan. So if you don't wanna get hit again, you'll have to be nice."

"F-Fine..." she groaned.

Mahiru smiled at her accomplishment, giving Mikan a thumbs up. The nurse slowly wiped away her tears with her fingertips and smiled back at her.

"If you're done licking each other's wounds, there's the matter of looking for Hinata," Byakuya said, interrupting the heartwarming moment.

Mahiru rolled her eyes at the affluent progeny. "Jeez… Leave it to you to ruin something." She walked over to Mikan. "Come on, Mikan-chan. Let's go find Hajime."

"Huh?!" Mikan's blush suddenly returned. "B-But I already told you, it's not like that!"

"But weren't you the one that said you needed to stay with him?" Mahiru asked.

"T-That was for an entirely different reason!" Mikan defended. "S-Seriously, you got it all wrong!"

"It'll be fine," Mahiru said, her strange perkiness returning again. "I'm sure once you talk to him, you'll see that he's a nice guy. Maybe he won't be unreliable like I thought he was."

"B-But I'm telling you, it's impossible for someone like me to– Waaah! Wh-Where are you taking me?!"

"We're going to find Hajime," Mahiru said, dragging Mikan by her arm with equal fervor to that of the smile on her face. "Where else did you thought we were going?"

"I-I don't know if my heart is prepared for this," Mikan confessed. "My mind is about to go black from nervousness."

"C'mon, be a bit more optimistic," Mahiru said encouragingly. "Just follow the steps like I told you and you'll be fine. Remember, I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines."

"How many times that to tell you? It's not like that."

"If you have time to play matchmaker, would you care to stop by the supermarket?" Byakuya asked impatiently. "I need another bag of gummy bears since Saionji appears to be enjoying my last bag."

"What do you mean _your_ bag? I had these all along. I just didn't want to eat them yet," she said in a matter-of-fact tone as she popped one of the sweets into her mouth.

"That's a lie and you know it," Byakuya seethed, a vein beginning to form on his forehead.

"Oink, oink, oink… That's all I hear," Hiyoko openly mocked. "Pigs need to eat more fiber in their diet."

"Hiyoko-chan, that's quite enough," Mahiru scolded her. She turned to her angry classmate. "I'll be sure to get you some more, Byakuya. And I'll be sure to give Hiyoko another bop on the head too."

"Wha!" Hiyoko shrieked. "Why do I get a bop on the head? All I did was tell the truth, and I didn't make fun of pig barf over there."

"Maybe I should make it two went mad at," Mahiru said in a flat voice. "let's go, Mikan-chan. The more time we waste standing here, the less time you'll have to talk to Hajime."

"N-No... It's not like... I mean... I don't want to..." Mikan stammered furiously. Her face grew a brighter shade of red with each second Mahiru dragged her further away. All of the fear and embarrassment she had made itself know when she yelled the only words she could think of.

"Someone save me!"

Before Mikan could protest any further, Mahiru had already dragged her away from Jabberwock Park.

"Now that _that's_ out of the way…" Byakuya said, turning to Hiyoko. "Saionji, I won't do something barbaric as take back what was clearly mine, but I would like some of those gummy bears."

"Why? They're mine and I don't want your greasy fingers near them," Hiyoko said harshly, "Maybe if you got down on your hands and feet and 'oink', I'll feed you some. Kind of like a barnyard animal."

"You misunderstood…" Byakuya said. "What you have in your hands was– no, _is_ rightfully mine. And if you think that I'll stoop to your level and do something so depraving for candy, then you are sorely mistaken."

"What, you think you can order us around because your leader? Because your family's rich? People who use their family's influence to control others are the weakness."

"As great as my family's power is, I will never use their influence on mere commoners," Byakuya said. "Furthermore, I do not want to be lectured about the subject by a petty thief."

"Like I said, these gummy bears are mine. And I'll only give you some if you listen to what I say."

"I am not going to degrade myself for your amusement."

"Now, now you two, that's quite enough," Nagito interjected, standing in between them. "Fighting is good between friends, especially over something trivial as candy."

"It's not trivial!" Byakuya and Hiyoko chorused.

"I understand how both you feel but–"

"No, you don't!"

Nagito was taken aback by their sudden cooperation towards him. "Jeez… I guess I should've expected this to happen. Someone worthless like me can't even resolve a dispute."

Before Nagito could begin the process of self-loathing any further, he was interrupted by loud, feminine shrills from a distance.

"What was that?..."

"That sounded like Big Sis Mahiru..." Hiyoko said.

"And Tsumiki," Byakuya quickly added. "Shouldn't they be looking for Hajime?"

"They both went in the direction towards the hotel," "but more importantly, why did they scream like that?"

Nagito had his answer when he saw the two girls mentioned running towards them…

Followed by a stampede of bad luck.

...

 **Part 9**

Crossing the bridge was easier than I thought it would be. It looked rather small from a distance, but now we're crossing it, I noticed that the bridge was rather spacious, having enough space for two groups of people coming from opposite directions to cross over. Thinking that, we can't turn back now. It was particularly a one-way trip seeing that we're being chased, and I doubt that me or Ibuki had the energy to swim in the ocean below us if one of us fell over.

I had to admit, this bridge was pretty long. I don't know if my body can take any more of this running, but I had to push forward. I don't know if Ibuki can do the same, but I hope she could. At least until we reached Jabberwock Park.

The sounds of our pursuers approaching from behind only convinced me to do so.

"I have caught up to you!" Nekomaru called out. "You will never escape me!"

"Dammit! You just don't give up, do you!" I yell back.

"Of course not! Once I set my eyes on something, I will never it out of my sight!" he says.

"That sounds kind of stalker-ish! Ibuki's fan base has too many of them!" Ibuki says fearfully.

"That is not a fan! He is trying to kill us!" I yell at her.

"No, we are not!" the princess objected. "We just want to talk to you! So please stop running!"

"Liars!" I yell. "Why would all of you be chasing me!"

"Because you ran before we could tell you!" the princess says.

"Tell me what? About how to terrorize someone?" I ask angrily.

"No, so we could tell about that!"

I followed the tan-skinned girl's pointed finger and looked ahead. I had no reason to trust her, but my eyes were already forward.

Standing a few meters ahead, looking like deer caught in the headlights, was a redheaded girl and a tall girl wearing an apron.

People.

Why were they just standing there? If they didn't move out of the way, they're going to collide with us. Not to mention that there's a group of people hot on our tail, so they'll also get trampled under their footsteps.

I look back. The group of people is still chasing us. Dammit! We were blocked from both sides. The bridge that we're crossing became a cage, and it got smaller by the second.

I recall what happened to me so far. Hiding in the supermarket with Ibuki, running away from the airport, narrowly escaping a Flying Superman Punch to the face, shouting profanity as we passed the beach. The situation I'm in wasn't just crazy. It was insane!

I appalled. Can we escape? These were people with murderous intent. I'm just a normal high school student who wants to be more confident in myself.

Was running away foolish of us? No, even so, we have to get away!

"Get out of the way!" I yelled.

"We'll flatten you like pancakes if you don't!" Ibuki called.

I doubt that our warnings would have little effect if they were working with the people chasing us. However, I can put my uncertainty to rest because those two girls turned around and ran away screaming at the top of their lungs. Maybe they were paralyzed in fear and our yelling snapped them out of their terror? I can worry about that another time.

I grab Ibuki's hand on reflex, and turned the corner leading to our destination…

Towards a crowd of terrified people.

There was that nurse and photographer from earlier, both who were waving their hands in a panicked gesture and shouting something at me. Behind them was a sickly, pale guy, a giant man in a plain white suit, a little girl dressed in a kimono, and a... pink and white rabbit?!…

They too, were in their own way, shouting and waving their hands in the same manner as those two girls. But for what purpose? As we gradually got closer and closer, I could make out what they were saying.

"Hey! Slow down! You're going to run into us!" the little girl says.

"Please! You have to stop running!" the pale guy says.

"Running at that speed is dangerous! You need to stop right away!" the rabbit screams.

Did... Did that rabbit just talk?! How is that even possible?! I know that I shouldn't be expressing my shock right now, but a living, breathing animal was breaking the rules of biology.

"Hajime-chan, we're gonna crash!" Ibuki yelled.

"...Huh?!"

I was so focused on the rabbit that I didn't notice Ibuki talking to me. Did she say something about crashing?

Holy crap! There were people right in front of us! I try to slow down, but my legs wouldn't listen to me. It was as if they were on autopilot. There was no time. The people in front of me wouldn't move out of the way and our pursuers were closing in. All of these thoughts, the screams from the crowd in front of me and those from our pursuers rattled inside my mind as I braced myself for the incoming collision.

Then everything went white.

...

During the time that I was a grade schooler, I was blissfully unaware of the cruel and harsh reality that was part of my way of life. I've witnessed my first car crash at ten-years old. It wasn't exactly a real one, but the one I saw was on an anime that aired every Saturday.

I didn't understand why that happened until I searched the Wikipedia for the story. Apparently, the driver was being chased by a biker gang leader who want to talk to him about something. His intentions weren't clear at the time but the driver, on the instinct that they were dangerous, fled in his car. Of course, the biker gang's leader chased after him. The driver didn't know the area too well so running away from them seemed futile...

Until he met a passenger.

It was a female student from a private academy, the ones that only taught one specific gender. She had to attend that particular school because her parents disapproved of the boys she hangs around with. I couldn't blame them for disagreeing with her choice of friends. I'd probably do the same for my daughter. Those guys were obviously after one thing, and I walked home enough times and see the group of guys harassing a girl claiming they wanted to 'hang out' to know what really went on. There's a word for guys like them that one person uses when they step in to save the girl, or police officers when they arrest them: Bastards.

Anyways, that girl was a complete stranger to the driver and the first time they met, they argued. A lot. But with the girl's knowledge of the city, the driver managed to evade the pursuit of the biker gang's leader at every turn. And as they did, the two become less wary of one another and more of friends. To think that the worst in partnerships could into a friendship in less than 15 minutes in an episode. How unbelievable it was, I though at the time.

But their friendship was short-lived. As the two turned corners and hid in alleyways, more of the biker gang leader's comrades slowly joined in the chase until the he had the entire gang on his tail. Outnumbered and no other options left, the driver and his passenger had no choice but to go to an intersection. They thought by getting to a crowded area, the biker gang would stop chasing them and people would call the police for help…

Unfortunately, what the driver thought would be their salvation ended up being a death sentence.

The light at the intersection suddenly turned red, and the driver's car had already sped past it. The first car that tried to cross the intersection drove right in front of his path and before he could hit the brakes, his car crashed into the other driver's. They slammed into each other like polarized magnets, and the gasps and screams that followed were like those of impressed students seeing the phenomenon (magnets attracted to each other) for the first time. A total of five people died that day; both drivers, and their respective passengers. Miraculously, the pedestrians who were near the accident were spared.

The police never found the biker gang's leader responsible for the incident, and whatever his intent for chasing the driver would remain a mystery. The wild goose chased that the driver and his passenger tried their hardest to avoid only ended in a bloody tragedy. I never watched that particular anime ever again, not do I plan to.

But thinking about that now... reminds me of the situation I'm in.

…

When I open my eyes, the first thing that I see is darkness. Beyond that, in the distance is a speck of light speck of light. Do I walk towards it? My instincts tell me I should, but my body wouldn't obey me. It felt heavy... really heavy, like my weight was 5 times the actual amount.

I slowly raise my arm, fighting through this unknown feeling, towards the light and just before I could reach it…

The light disappeared.

My heart sinks. What happened to the light? One moment it's here and gone in the next. Maybe this was another cruel trick by the god from my earlier "incident" with Chiaki in the cafeteria. I guess I do deserve this for spewing water all over her face.

…

Heh. I find it kind of funny that I'm thinking about her even now.

Chiaki Nanami... She was the first girl I ever met on this island. Our introduction started off a little… rough, but she wasn't a bad person. She didn't judge me when I had a strange flashback about her and although I didn't understand most of her videogame jargon, I enjoyed talking to her. The only time we spent together was having a conversation over lunch and I regret not spending enough time with her.

And it wasn't just Chiaki... There was also Ibuki.

I recall her face for what might be the last time.

She was the girl I met at the supermarket, who persistently tried to label me as a sexual deviant, and the one who started this crazy goose chase. Ibuki may have nearly gotten both of us on several occasions, but there were times that she saved me too. There was the time at the airport when Nekomaru and the princess found us, not to mention that time when she saved me from that tan-skinned girl's Flying Superman Punch. She may have been… energetic at times, but she was a good person. Without her, I wouldn't have made it this far. Heck, I might not have even made it at all.

Then there was Nagito. The mysterious guy who I never saw, but had a strange feeling of nostalgia. He took time out of his day to point me in the right direction, even though he actually didn't do it. The handwritten map he gave me wasn't all that much help, but in the slightest sense of compassion, it showed that he cared. I just wish I could've told him, "Thank you" face to face instead of being separated between a wooden door.

Kazuichi and Gundham. Probably the weirdest pair of people I never would've seen together. They can be surprisingly good friends when they have a common goal. If turning against me and Ibuki faster than a dog attracted to steak proved anything, then that much must be true. But if things turned out differently, could we had become friends? Probably, or at least people that hung out and talk together.

And then there was Teruteru, the chef...

…

I was going to miss him the least.

He was a bit… open with his feelings at times. But his advice about… Cooking was surprisingly trustworthy. I don't know who this Mikan person he mentioned, and chances are I will never know.

I was going to miss them all. The people that I talked with – started building a connection with, and want to get to know better. All of my unanswered questions with answers will forever be out of my reach. If I could have one more chance, just one more chance then I can make an effort – no, a better effort to get along with everyone and find the answers I'm looking for. I'm sure I can if I had one more chance to do it.

Then, as if answering my prayers, it appeared again.

In this vast sea of darkness, there it was. That tiny speck of light, hovering over me with its illuminating glow. As I continue to stare in utter shock and disbelief, it disappeared again. My sudden feeling of dismay didn't last long until I saw that light again. Then another, and another, and another, and another, until...

An outstretched hand broke through the darkness, like shattered glass. Light poured from the newly made hole endlessly. I squint my eyes from the stinging brightness. The hand was covered in multicolored cloth, but it's long pale fingers and black fingernails were plain to see. I didn't have long to figure out who the hand belonged to until I heard a familiar voice.

"Hajime-chan, grab Ibuki's hand!"

I was stunned. Ibuki was trying to save me? It was both utterly obvious and unbelievable. Of course she was. Why else would she be offering her hand to me now? She saved my life before, and here she was doing that again. I should thank her for those times when I get out of here. Better yet, I should be more reliable and protect her the next time she's in danger. I held on to those thoughts as I take her hand into mine's…

And it, along with me, was pulled into the light.

...

Perhaps it was more than force than needed because I collided into something and fell to the ground with it.

My eyes were still recovering from the sudden brightness so I couldn't see what it was. Everything I saw was white, but my other senses were still functional. My left hand was on something flat and hard, probably the ground I guess. But my right was grasping something soft and… warm. It had a slow, rhythmic, thumping feeling to it. Just what was that exactly?

My sight slowly became clearer. First hazy white, then color began returning to the world until everything became clear again. This is the second time today my eyesight wasn't working correctly, but now is back to normal. My left hand was, like I expected, on the ground. That much should've been obvious. And the something that I collided with was…

Ibuki.

…

My eyes must not be working correctly. I blinked both of them. Then again. And again. And again. And once more.

What was going on? I know it was Ibuki's hand I grabbed, but why was she on the ground beneath me? And why was her face red and look brighter than the multicolor strands in her hair? For some reason, the soft, rhythmic thumping in my right hand grew stronger and… hotter?!…

Just where was my right hand exactly?

I follow my right arm down in my hand and there it was, grabbing… grabbing… grabbing…

A handful of Ibuki's breast.

For some reason, my malfunctioning brain told my right hand to squeeze. Then again. And again. And again. And once more.

...

This scene looked like something off of a really crappy romantic comedy. And here I am, reenacting that very scene with a girl that I barely knew.

In moments like this, the girl would shout "Kyaaaah!", slap me my face or worse, kick me in my crotch, then run away. This girl, however, didn't do any of those things– or at least not yet until she fully grasped what was happening. Instead, she's twiddling her fingers once again like an embarrassed school girl. Not like I was expecting her to, but girls should be angry when a guy― especially a stranger, is groping them. Right?

...

Right?!

"My, my Hajime… You're quite bold," Ibuki says. "Ibuki knows that she saved you twice already and you want to show her your thanks... but we're out in the open and people are around. Although it is very tempting and Hajime-chan is kind of good-looking, Ibuki stands by what she stays. She is a very sophisticated woman and things like relationships don't suit well for her."

That just contradicted what you said just now.

...

The sheer absurdity of her statement was enough to get my mind back in working order. I, along with my right hand, pulled away from Ibuki.

"Anyways," I say, trying to change the subject. "Thank you for saving me just now. I might not even be here if it weren't for you."

"No problemo!" Ibuki says, striking a cutesy pose with a wink. "Anything for a loving fan."

I never was one to begin with, but I wasn't going to point that out. "By the way, what happened to the people who were chasing us?" I ask.

"People?" Ibuki says, confused. "Oh you mean those guys who formed the biggest dog pile on you? They're all over there."

"...Over where exactly?" I ask.

"Over there by that giant statue that shouts, 'I am majestic!'!" Ibuki says in an overly dramatic voice, pointing both her index fingers in an equal manner.

"Statue?…" I say. My eyes followed Ibuki's fingers and like she said, a giant statue stood a few meters away from me. It looked like a rearing horseman on top of a rock with a tiger and a giant snake, as if they were standing alongside one another. In front of that statue was...

The biggest pile of bodies and limbs I've ever seen.

I've seen bigger pileups on televised football games, but this one takes the cake.

There were too many bodies, and too many arms and legs to count, all covered in dirt and grass. Numerous groans of pain and discomfort all mingled together, as if it were one. A famous Hollywood movie director would be inspired by this site and make their next big horror film from it.

"Do you think they're okay?" I ask stupidly.

"That big guy looked like he can take a Bazooka blast to the chest and shrug it off like those overpowered super villains in a shonen manga," Ibuki says. "Ibuki thinks he'd survive."

That sounds both incredibly stupid and horrifying. The thought of that guy being like Ibuki's description sent a shiver down my spine.

"But Ibuki doesn't know about all of the other people in front of us, though. She doesn't want think about it but..." Ibuki hesitated, her eyes suddenly had a saddened look in them. "Ibuki thinks she killed them,"

I was surprised by Ibuki's tone of voice. Throughout the entire time we've been running for our lives today, I never heard her sound so... sad. She was a ball of energy back at the supermarket and everywhere else we've been, so why the sudden sadness? Did she feel guilty at what she did?

Of course, Ibuki didn't kill anyone. There was no giant pool of blood or any murder weapons in sight. Inwardly, I hope that they were at least conscious and be able to move. I mean, we did run from them but they were the ones chasing _us._ Everyone else that didn't have anything to do with what Nekomaru and the princess wanted with us choose to involve themselves in the pursuit (for reasons unknown). And in the end, the result is what we see in front of us. So what if they got hurt but we didn't? Again, they were chasing _us_ and the people in front didn't move out of the way and… Oh.

...

I think I understand what Ibuki's feeling. It wasn't the guilt of killing people like she thought had happened, but rather unintentionally harming people and others who got caught up in it. I understand that feeling quite well myself. Hitting someone in the head with a dodgeball and making a classmate slip and fall on the floor during cleaning duty were all accidents. The embarrassing aftermath that followed was something I thought I'd never lived down and I strived to never let it happen again.

But still...

"Well, there's no use worrying about them now," I say. "If they're all right, then that gives us a reason to find Usami. Those people over there still might want to hurt us."

"Yeah, you're right," says Ibuki with somewhat renewed energy. "Ibuki isn't worried about that big guy, but Sonia-chan was the first person she talked to and didn't try to chase her down."

I understand that Ibuki didn't know much about the princess, but she shouldn't be naming people, much less a stranger. 'Sonia' is a very uncommon name in Japan, and adding the honorific "-chan" at the end of it doesn't make it sound any better. But the way Ibuki constantly referred to the princess that way and is now concerned for her safety bothered me. It was almost as if she...

Knew her.

Now that I think about it, Ibuki used "-chan" in my name when we first met at the supermarket. It was right _after_ we introduced ourselves while we were hiding, when we didn't know each other.

And I wasn't the only person.

Ibuki did the same thing with Kazuichi and Gundham back when we were at the airport, and that was right _before_ they introduced themselves. And the way those three spoke so casual to each other felt strange. The only person Ibuki hasn't referred to as "-chan" throughout our escape was... was...

The huge man. Nekomaru

...

Something was definitely wrong with that.

"Hey, Ibuki. Did you know that girl that looked like a princess?" I ask. I'm trying to figure out the reason for this discrepancy.

"Yep!" Ibuki say brightly. "She was the first person Ibuki meet on this island, but then she saw Akane-chan and that big guy fighting so she decided to cheer them on from a safe distance. But then that big guy suddenly started walking towards Ibuki like he was going to confess his feelings and she got scared and ran away."

"And that's why you hid in the supermarket, right?" I ask.

"That place was huge and Ibuki thought that she would be safe there," she says. "At least, until you found her hiding spot and tried looking up Ibuki's skirt."

I'm going to pretend that Ibuki doesn't have a grudge against me and just follow up with my next question. "But wasn't that big guy with you when you and the other students arrived here on this island?"

"Ibuki didn't feel like he was there with her," she answers. Both of her index fingers were pressed against the temples of her head, as if heavily concentrating on a single thought. "But now that she thinks about it... that big guy did say something about being the 'Ultimate Team Manager' when he was chasing us."

That he did. A couple of times actually. His voice was so loud and boisterous that it was hard _not_ to hear him. "But he _was_ with you when you come here, right?"

"Umm... Ibuki thinks so, but she never talked to him." she says. "Why you ask?"

I put together all of the information given so far. Ibuki somehow knowing the princess named "Sonia-chan", her being chased by a complete stranger, said stranger declaring himself as an Ultimate, and other people joining the chase when there is literally, not a single adult in sight.

...

Wait a minute.

"Ibuki, did that big guy ever said anything to you? Anything at all?" I ask urgently.

"Ibuki never said anything to him and he didn't say anything to her. At least, he tried to before Ibuki ran away."

I felt my eyebrow twitch. I stood in silence for a moment before speaking again. "So let me get this straight..." I say. My voice was the calmest I could manage. "You ran away from a complete stranger who – and I quote – "suddenly started walking towards you like he was going to confess his feelings" without even bothering to ask who he was?"

"Yeah, that's what Ibuki said," she says, irritated. "She knows that you're smart for that secret agent stuff you did back at the supermarket, but now she's having second thoughts."

All of the fear and exhaustion I felt quickly turned into seething anger.

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?" I yell. Ibuki looked completely taken aback and terrified at my sudden outburst, but I was long past caring. "YOU RAN AWAY BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT HE WAS DANGEROUS?!"

"What are you getting at Ibuki for?!" She yelled back. "Hajime-chan ran away too, and he even hid in Ibuki's hiding spot!"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM SOMEONE WHO TRIED TO MAKE ME OUT AS SOME SORT OF SEXUAL DEVIANT!" I say. True, I did run from that guy but for a completely different reason than this chick's. That reason being I thought he was some kind of murderer.

"But you were groping Ibuki's chest like some sort pervert, didn't you?"

I went silent. Okay. That was also true, but again, for a completely different reason. I'll think I can explain it even if I want to.

But still...

"That's beside the point!" I say. "Why didn't you talk to him first?"

"Like Ibuki said earlier, she got scared and ran away. Ibuki can't think all that well when she's scared, remember?"

I wasn't going to listen to whatever this girl had to say anymore.

"If I had known that he was a student, then this none of this would have never happened." I say tiredly. "Chances are those other people piled up over there are students, too. But we can worry about them later when we find Usami..."

"Ibuki guesses Hajime-chan is right," she says. "We still need to find Sonia-chan too. She's a princess and we'll get thrown in jail or executed if something bad happens to her."

"Too bad none of those things are going to happen to you. Well, at least the 'thrown in jail' part."

I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard the new voice. Ibuki looked as terrified as I did. Who was that? One of the people neat the statue? As if it was rehearsed, we both focus our attention towards the piled up bodies. There they were, still piled up on one another, all alive and breathing, but badly hurt. Above them, perched on the statue's pedestal, was the source of the mysterious voice...

Or so I thought.

It looked like a teddy bear, or at least a really bad imitation of one. One half of its body was white as snow with a tiny, black eye the size of a shirt button. The other half, however, was pitch black and on the other side of its head. Instead of having an eye to match with the one on the white half of its body, a gleaming, jagged red thunderbolt took its place.

Just what am I looking at exactly? A stuffed animal or a really crappy Build-a-Bear?

"What? You look like you never seen a teddy bear before," it says suddenly. "It's like I'm standing on the first place spot for winning the mist cutest bear award. Aren't I just adorable?"

I wanted to say something, but my mouth wouldn't move. My mind was still reeling from this strange occurrence. Not only was there a talking rabbit on this island, but a bear too? Just what the hell was going on?

"Wow. I got a tough crowd out here. I told my best one liner and none of you didn't even laugh. Not even a chuckle," it says, sounding a bit sad. It hopped up to its feet with a determined 'look' in its eye(?). "Well, looks like I'll have turn it up a notch."

Faster than it could declare, the teddy bear jumped off the pedestal and into the air, soaring higher than an actual stuffed toy was supposed to. It spun and flipped in the air like a professional gymnasium and when it looked like gravity was about to bring it down to earth, the bear did one last forward flip and landed perfectly on both feet with its arms raised in triumph...

Before falling flat on its face.

...

I might have been impressed if my mind was working the way and I wanted. That, and if the bear didn't botch the landing.

"Dammit. I messed up the landing," the bear says. I didn't notice it was on his feet again until saw it dusting itself off. "But still, you gotta admit. That's was super cool, right?"

I cannot begin to fathom what I saw just now. A walking, talking teddy-bear leaped into the air, performing some tricks in mid-airs, fell down, and is now casually talking to us like we're acquaintances. I look over to Ibuki, as if to ask her "What should we do about this?". However, she had already began talking the first step to fixing this dilemma. Hopefully.

"Um... Are we like supposed to know you?" Ibuki ask timidly. "Cause Ibuki already had enough with a talking rabbit."

"Whaaaaat?" The bear says in an overly-dramatic fashion. "You don't know who I am? I'm Monokuma, everyone's favorite adorable and most popular bear in the world. I may look like a really crappy Build-a-Bear from the supermarket, but this is all part of my natural charm. From my cute little head to my toes."

The more I hear this thing rambling on about itself, the more I'm beginning to lose more of my sanity.

"Whatever. It's not like I came to do some circus tricks for you bastards. We need to get down to business."

Now I'm confused. "Business? What are you talking about?" I ask.

"Jeez, you must be super slow in the head or something. And you're supposed to be a high school student? The school board must've really lower the standards this year if you're this dumb."

The teddy bear shakes its head wearily, as if it were an elderly man disapproving of something foolish.

"If you must know, I'm talking about turning this despairingly-sick paradise into a burning inferno; setting the trees on fires, making the ocean water burn like acid, y'know that kind of stuff," the bear that called itself 'Monokuma' told us.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say," I say. "What does doing all of those things have to do with why we're here?"

"Wow. The school board _really_ must have lowered the standards," Monokuma says. "Let me explain this in smalls words that you can understand..."

Monokuma held up one of its paws, and razor sharp claws that weren't there before suddenly popped out of the tiny spaces between its fingers. Its lightning bolt shaped eye, gleamed menacingly with a crimson red glow. Seeing both of these things made all the hair on my body stand on edge.

"I want to see everyone last one of you cowering in fear and begging for your lives. I want to see the beach sand painted red with your blood. But most importantly, I want you to feel despair."

"Despair? Wh-What the hell are you talking about?" I demand. I try to sound brave, but my emotions betray me. Deep down, I was afraid of what this thing was going to do to us. This bear may have looked harmless before, but just looking at it now and hearing what it just said made all the hairs on my body stand on edge.

It must've been obviously for Monokuma to see my fear because he chuckled, an evil half-smile growing over its features.

"That face... That face right there is what I want to see. It's what I was made for! It's what I _live_ for! It's so awesome that it makes all of my systems go into overdrive!"

As this thing celebrated its triumph right in front of us, I felt something grip my shoulders. I almost had a heart-attack when I thought someone snuck up from behind me until I realize that Ibuki was the only person standing here beside me. I peek out of the corner of my eye and there she was, standing behind me, once again using my body as a shield. Only this time, something might legitimately kill her― us. She's must be as scared I as am right now. Ibuki's forehead pressed against my back and her trembling hands squeezed my shoulders tightly like a vice, as if anchoring herself to reality. I don't stop her. Her squeezing was kind of comforting in a way.

"But still, I have to thank you for making this all easy for me," Monokuma says, calming down a bit. "You got all of those other bastards here all lying down here right in front of me. It's like you wanted me to fill them with despair. It's too bad that no one of them aren't going to be getting up anytime soon, but I guess I can exempt them for the despair. For now..."

Monokuma pace around in circles as we― well, I (Ibuki still wasn't looking) stared at the bear in bated silence. This strange teddy bear declaring that it wanted nothing but death and destruction was creepy, and seeing it debate over the matter like an important decision made it terrifying to look at. The only reason I haven't ran is because Ibuki's grip on my shoulders made it impossible to escape, and I get the feeling she wasn't going to let go anytime soon.

"I guess I can start this Island Life of Mutual Killing by showing that I'm the new teacher of this boring field trip," Monokuma says. "What we need is some blood― no, explosions! No, that's way too big! I don't want to bring out the big guns this earlier in the game. What we need is something to kick start this field trip. Not some boring beach party, not some drama, and definitely not a cliché superhero coming in at the last second to save the day. What we need is an example. Yeeees, that's it. Someone to show you bastards that I'm the one calling the shots. And that brave volunteer is... Drum roll, please!"

Monokuma made the sounds of a dramatic drum roll with its tongue, waving its razor sharp claw around as if it's paw were a metal detector. I draw in a breath and I'm feeling nauseous from the suspense, and so desperately hoping that it was joking. I didn't look back at Ibuki, but her trembling fingers on my shoulders told me that she didn't want to believe it either.

Then finally, after what felt like an eternity of suspense and fear, Monokuma's paw finally went down.

...

It wasn't pointing at any of people piled up by the statue. Not a plant, a bug, nor an inanimate object. Not even the sky or the ground. No, it's claw definitely pointed at someone at Jabberwock Park when that person desperately wanted it be anyone― anything but them.

Monokuma's paw pointed forward. Not vertically, not horizontally, but directly forward. Not at the trees or bushes behind me, or Ibuki who's still gripping on my shoulders for dear life, but at someone's chest...

 _My_ chest.

...

It was me.

"Congratulations! You get to be the first volunteer to become an example of my takeover!"

...

"...Huh?"

 **Part 10**

One time, when I was a grade schooler, I met a girl. She wasn't the first friend I made during my childhood, but definitely one of my closest. Two months later, her and both of her parents died in a car accident. When my parents told me the news, it was as if all of the air had been knocked out of my lungs and all I could do was stand, struggling to breathe, and unable to do anything.

That's how I felt now, trying to remember how to breathe, unable to speak, totally stunned as Monokuma's claw pointed directly at me. Someone is gripping my shoulders, Ibuki trembling harder than before, and I think maybe she's terrified of Monokuma and of what's going to happen next.

This must be some kind of joke, right? Someone's probably watching all of this from afar, laughing their heads off. This can't be happening. Maybe this bear's actually target was Ibuki, and its claw pointed _through_ me because I'm partially blocking its view of her. Her fear of this thing's so noticeable that Monokuma sought her out as the perfect example. As much as I didn't want that happening to her, that could probably be it. Even so, all of this is a joke. And if is it, then it's a very cruel and sick one.

"Puhuhuhuhu! Do you feel the despair already?" Monokuma's sickeningly sinister voice brings me back to reality. "Don't you just hate it when the teacher picks on you to read the next passage? It's like standing on stage in front of an audience trying to remember your lines. And when you screw up, there's always that person watching from backstage telling you what to say. The same thing goes for that unfortunate student standing up from their seat. It's like getting infinite lives in a video game without putting in a cheat code! Well, it's not like you have infinite lives though. Your only life is about to be over for the sake of despair!"

The bear's claw was still trained on me, never wavering. I feel all of the blood in my body freeze solid. If anyone saw my right now, they would've thought I was downright pathetic for being scared of a stuffed toy― a dangerous and sinister one that casually made a threat as if were natural to talk about death. If anyone was in my shoes, they wouldn't be thinking that way. Then again, I'd probably would've done it too if I were watching from the sidelines. It's this thought, along with the danger in front of me that brings me back to myself.

"Why?" My voice comes out strangled like a vice latched around my throat. I meant to sound more composed but my heart didn't agree with me. "Why me?" It was probably pointless to argue with this thing when I knew what's going to happen to me. But I needed to at least know the reason. I had already token a few steps forward and Ibuki's iron-like grip on my shoulders slipped away in the midst of it.

"'Why?...'" Monokuma's perplexed tone of voice sounded like I just asked the stupidest question in the world, and its expression looked ever more so. "For the sake of despair, of course! How else am I supposed to kick off this field trip? A swimsuit party with lots of fan service and boob physics?!"

Monokuma sighed heavily, shaking its head with a paw on its head. Its sharp claws were out in place view. How is this bear unaffected by those things sinking into its fur I will never know.

"But if you really want to know real reason, I'll tell you. I just don't like you." it says. The simple and casual way it explained it's reasoning sent a cold shiver down my spine. "Just looking at you reminds me of _him_ , and that annoys me. And when a bear gets annoyed, they tear the disturbance to shreds and leave nothing behind! _Nothing_! Not a single hair!"

"But why me?" I say stubbornly. That crappy reasoning wasn't going to satisfy me. I not going to let my life end like some nameless person who falls in battle. "I didn't do anything to you! I don't even _know_ you! And now you're going to kill me because you don't like me?! Where's the reasoning in that?!"

"What the hell?" the bear say. I can see a tiny vein form on its forehead. The air suddenly felt heavy for some reason. "I already gave you your answer. 'You annoy me'. End of story! Now be a good boy and accept your despair like your friend behind you."

"Like hell I will!" I say. I've not worried about death of danger at this point. "I will never give into despair and I won't let you hurt Ibuki!"

A warning bell goes into my head. I didn't mean to include Ibuki, but words I thought were impossible from me to say were coming out of my mouth like an endless stream. This girl that I just met and barely knew, who covered behind me in fear just seconds ago now stared at me in awe. This girl, who still thinks even now that I'm a sexual deviant and saved my life twice today, became someone I wanted to protect.

I don't know what a normal guy like can do to protect Ibuki against this thing, but I knew that if I don't protect her for the times she saved me then I can't fulfill my promise to her. At the very least, I have to try. This whole situation seems hopeless, maybe even ridiculous. Heck, that summed up this entire "field trip" and this crazy day I'm having! I mean, waking up on an island, getting chased around by strangers with a "music goddess" as your accomplice, and facing off with a murderous teddy bear that could be the death of you.

There's no way I was going to get out of this alive. Not without getting torn to shreds by Monokuma, not without Usami's help, and not without getting Ibuki involved...

So why?

Why was I still standing here? Why didn't I just accept my despair like this damn bear wanted me to?

...

I don't know. Chances are it will stay that way if I somehow did survive this. I can worry about the aftermath later. But right now, while I'm still alive...

I want to protect Ibuki! Just like she protected me!

I stare down Monokuma's angry glare with an equal one with my own. "You can do whatever you want with me, but I won't let you hurt Ibuki." My voice had risen to a steady volume. Within it, is this strange, newfound confidence and resolve for protecting a stranger with my life.

"I don't care about the wannabe goth chick over there!" the bear snaps at me. "She'll be the perfect example for when I unleash despair on all you bastards. Well, everyone except you, of course. You'll be ancient history by the time that happens. Ahahahahahaha!"

I turn to Ibuki, her hands clasped together and still looking somewhat terrified. "Get out of here, Ibuki. Run away from here as far as you can. I'll try to hold him off as long as I can. I won't let this damn bear have its way." I say.

Ibuki stare at me, looking even more scared than she already was. "B-But, Hajime-chan will die. Ibuki doesn't want Hajime-chan to die. She still hasn't played her diss song about him yet."

I give her the best reassuring smile I could manage. "Don't worry about me. Against a teddy bear with razor sharp claws, I'll be fine on my own. And I'll be sure to listen to your diss song when this is over."

"Wow. You definitely remind me of _him_ ," Monokuma says, making its annoyance towards me clear. "That just makes me want to kill you even more! Your little hopeful speech just bought you a one-way ticket to despair, and I'm it's conductor!"

"...Get out of here, Ibuki." I say harshy, because I don't want her to be here when this thing starts killing me and I'm trying to protect her.

"B-But..."

"Hey, did those drills on your head scrambled your brain or what?" Monokuma demanded. "This bastard told you to leave. Now act like one of those useless side characters in a shonen manga and get out of here!"

"But Ibuki―"

"You'll only get in the way! Just go already!" I shout. Can't Ibuki see that I'm trying to protect her?! I can't do much, but as long as she's still here, then I can't do anything at all!

"Hajime-chan..." Ibuki whispered. "Okay, Ibuki will go run as fast as her legs can take her, even though they hurt from all that running. But Hajime-chan has to promise Ibuki something..."

I couldn't see her face, but Ibuki's voice sounded strangely serious. It might be the first time since we been on this wild goose chase that I even heard her sound like this. I couldn't help but turn to her.

And to my surprise, she didn't have a face of terror, but rather a serious expression. The person that stood behind me didn't look anything like the energetic girl I met back at the supermarket. I didn't have time to fathom this new Ibuki until she said those next words.

"He has to promise to run around the island. Just like we did today."

I couldn't help but smile, even thought I might die when this bear stop either of us from talking. "I promise." I say.

"Double promise?" she says.

"Double promise," I answer.

As soon as those words left my word, Ibuki approached me with confidence that would put mine's to shame. And before I could think about it any further, Ibuki took my hand...

And put it in hers.

This would be the third time today I held Ibuki's hand. Besides my mother, I never held another girl's hand in my life, not even my best friend's before she died in that car accident a decade ago. But now that neither of us were in danger (as least in Ibuki's case), I could experience this new feeling for the first time. It's soft and warm, like an insulated mitten. Ibuki looks me right in the eye and give my saliva-covered hand what I think is meant to be a reassuring squeeze. Her grip is so hard I thought she was going to crush it.

...

Teruteru would be having a field day if he heard the last part of that sentence.

"Ibuki couldn't think of something cool to do with a double promise, but this is the best she's got," she says, almost bashfully "Ibuki thought that she was going to do this with Sonia-chan first, but Hajime-chan helped her out big time today so you're going to be Ibuki's first.

Teruteru would have fun with that one too. Ibuki squeezes my hand with the same tightness that held on to my shoulders before. I squeeze back.

"Ibuki's never going to forgive Hajime-chan if he doesn't come back," she says seriously. "If you don't, torment you from the living with a really bad diss song that wake up the dead. Ibuki will title it, "That Big, Fat, Liar Hajime Died and Ibuki Hates Him Forever".

The dead would probably haunt _you_ forever if you do that. "That song will have to what, because I'm not dying today. After all, we made a promise." I say.

Ibuki nods. "Yep. We made a double promise that can't be broken. No matter what!" she says.

Wait, what? I'm about to risk my life for her and she tell me this _now_?! Mind you, I don't dislike promises and I'll do what I can to keep them, but the current situation is making it harder than it already is. The longer Ibuki stays here, the more likely my newfound courage might begin to slip.

"I'll try not to break it," I say. "Now get out of here. I'll keep this thing busy for as long as I can."

"Okay," Ibuki says. "Ibuki will never forget Hajime-chan sacrifice!"

"Sacrifice?..." I let the word hang over me for a bit until I realized the meaning behind it. "Hey, wa―!"

Before I could call out to her, Ibuki had already let go off my hand and bolted out of Jabberwock Park like a sprinter hearing the starter gun.

God... God dammit, Ibuki.

I turn back to face Monokuma, who looked like he was on the verge of spewing chunks.

"Damn... I thought she would never leave," the bear says. "Any longer and I would've started puking cupcakes and rainbows."

"That might actually be funny to see," I say.

"It might," Monokuma agreed, surprising me quite a bit. "But what's really funny is your girlfriend running off on you. It's like she left you for another guy who swept her off her feet when the spineless boyfriend― well, _ex_ -boyfriend treated her like a woman should be treated, a queen. I believe the horny kids on the two-bit porn sites called the term, 'NTR'. Upupupupu... How does it feel to be left alone? Don't you just hate it? Don't you just want to kill yourself? Don't you feel the despair?"

"No, I don't feel despair," I say confidently. "But I _do_ feel betrayed for being a "sacrifice" in all of this. Though, I have no idea what you're talking about with that term."

"Whaaaat?!" This would make it the second time Monokuma spoke in that over-dramatic tone. I shouldn't be too surprised "I don't believe it! If you were a character in that scenario, you would definitely be that mysterious person that would knocked some sense into the spineless boyfriend and tell him to "get your shit together!" Or something encouraging, I don't know. I can't read doujinshi with one hand turning the page."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about," I say.

"Well, it's not like it doesn't matter. I wasted enough time talking to you, and not like you're going to kill yourself. Let's count down your last moment of life the old fashion way, counting from the number 1 up to 3! Puhuhuhuhu... Are you ready?"

I ready myself for what might be the last thing I see in the few seconds I have remaining. Ibuki wasn't here to help me this time. The way she took off so quickly and her "sacrificing" me said that much. Those claws Monokuma have might not kill me right away, but if I can avoid those and run―

I stop myself. Run away to where exactly? I'm here at Jabberwock Park, the supposed safe haven. I didn't see Usami anywhere and it doesn't look like she'll be making an appearance anytime soon. Not only that, I'm completely exhausted. Even if I did somehow manage to avoid what this thing has planned, it'll give chase and unlike the journey from Rocketpunch Market leading all the way here, there wouldn't be any stopping to catch my breath.

Dammit! No matter what option I choose, I'm screwed either way!

"One..."

My heartrate suddenly spiked. Monokuma had already began counting.

"Two..."

It got into a crouching position, a malicious half-smile spread across its face as it did. I don't have time to prepare myself!

"Thr―!"

Just before Monokuma could get to three, a silver blur shot out the bushes in the distance and materialized behind it. The form solidified enough for me to see it pulled a shinai from behind it's back...

And swung it at the bear's head.

It connected clean to the side of Monokuma's skull and the bear went soaring high into the sky like a golf ball.

"―EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Its long scream faded into the stratosphere as its tiny body disappeared into nothing but a twinkle.

I just stand there, staring at the sky in disbelief. It was like seeing something straight out of a comic book.

"It was rather foolish of you to put yourself in the line of danger. If I haven't arrived a moment sooner, you may have wound up dead."

Those harsh, but truthful words came from my mysterious savior in front of me. A tall girl: average height, medium build, long silver hair in twin pigtails, glasses, and the most intense stare from a pair of red eyes I've ever seen. She had already began putting the wooden sword that sent Monokuma flying back into its sword bag.

"I sensed an evil presence in the same direction you ran earlier by the beach," she says. "I followed you here with the intention of questioning you, but I ran into Ibuki and she begged me for help."

"You ran into Ibuki?..." I ask, trying not to sound surprised by this sudden turn of events.

"Yes, I did." She says. Her voice sounded tired. She must've personally found out how hard it was to keep up with Ibuki. "She looked terrified and I could barely understand what she was saying."

Yep. I knew it. I tried my hardest to suppress a laugh, but my savior sees right through my facade and spears me with her gaze. If her eyes were weapons, I would be dead right now.

"Anyways, I tried to calm her down to a more manageable state and she told me that you were here. I saw you confronting the thing that called itself Monokuma. Brave it is your efforts were, you wouldn't have lasted long against it."

I can't tell whether she tried to compliment or insult me. It kind of pissed me off.

...

Wait a minute.

"If you knew I was here, then why did you wait until the last second to save me?" I ask.

"Had I revealed myself beforehand, then I wouldn't have been able defeat that thing as easily as I did," she answers calmly. "Most likely, both of us would've been killed."

"So you used me as bait," I say. My statement sounded like more of a demand than a question.

If this girl face looked the slightest bit of apologetic, it didn't show. "Unfortunately, it was necessary for me save your life. For that, you have my apology."

That doesn't make it sound any better. It just means that I have to find another way to pay Ibuki back for the times she saved me. But as irritating as it was, my savior did risk her own life to save mine's. She deserves some gratitude at least.

"Thank you for saving me," I say. "I guess I gotta play you back as well."

"There's no need for that," she says firmly. "For now, information will suffice. Who are you and what was that thing that tried to attack you?"

"Oh right, I almost forgot about that..." I say. "Not to sound rude, but shouldn't you give you own name before asking for someone else's."

My savior gives me a piercing glare. Again, if her eyes were weapons, I would be dead right now. It didn't last long until she spoke. "My name is Peko Pekoyama," she says. "And yours?"

"My name is Hajime…" I say. "Hajime Hinata."

She nods. "Now that formalities are out of the way; might I ask you what was that thing that tried to attack you?"

Ten seconds of an exchanging words and I already knew that Peko wasn't a social butterfly. I'm not a sword otaku, but if her skills from earlier could describe her attitude, it would be cold and ruthless.

"That thing called itself Monokuma," I answer. "It said something about 'filling everyone with despair', or something like that. That thing tried to kill me because I looked like someone it knew."

"Someone it knew?..." Peko says. "Do you have some sort of connection with Monokuma?"

"No," I say truthfully. "Like everything else on this island, it was my first time seeing it."

"I see…" Peko says. She doesn't sound convinced, but that's all I have to say about the encounter. If she wanted more information, the she was going to be very disappointed. "Might I ask you another question?"

"If I can answer it, sure go ahead."

"Was Monokuma also responsible for...that?"

Peko gestures towards the pile of semi-conscious and injured people by the statue. I was so focused on protecting Ibuki― who I'm still mad at for "sacrificing' me― that I almost forget about them. I wonder if they're all okay.

"That was mine's and Ibuki's fault," I admit guiltily. "We were running from that big guy over…" I hesitate. There were people that chased me and people that I collided with― too many bodies to tell who's who. " _There_ … and we ran here, hoping that Usami might help us. I wonder where she is when all of this happened. I haven't seen here all day. Maybe she's one of the people over there."

"People? Peko says, looking perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

Something didn't feel right about this. I wonder why. "I'm talking about Usami. Our teacher," I tell her, hoping she understood. "The person that wanted to meet me here at Jabberwock Park."

"Oh, you mean _that_ thing," Peko say, finally getting the picture. "That part you mentioned that she was our teacher, I understand. But Usami being a person is something a bit too… presumptuous."

Now it was my turn to be confused. "What do you mean? Isn't Usami our teacher, or is that just a nickname she goes by."

"No, Usami is our teacher's name, that I can assure you," Peko says. "It's just that I don't understand why you're referring to an inanimate object as a person."

If Peko's intention was to make me even more confused than I already am, then she has fulfilled that objective. "…Huh?"

"Usami isn't a real person. She may talk like a person, act like a person, but in the end, she is just an inanimate object. Why does it look like a rabbit, I will never know and it will probably stay that―"

"Hold on a minute!" I yell. Instead of looking surprised at me for cutting her off, Peko glare at me harder than before. I didn't mean to be rude, but I needed to clear something up. "Did you just rabbit?"

"Yes, I did," Peko says, her gaze never relenting. "Why do you ask?"

"Did it by any chance have white fur and was dressed up like a magical girl?" I ask.

"I don't know what you mean by the term, 'magical girl' but yes, it was dressed rather extravagantly." Peko answers. Her glare intensified. "Where are you getting at with this?"

I begin to piece together everything. A white rabbit dressed up like a magical girl. If my memory is as good as I think it is (I memorized a map of this entire island for God's sake) there was something like that in front of us right before we ran into those―

…

Oh.

I look behind Peko to see the group of people. The result of my paranoia was injured and piled on top of one another, underneath it all was my teacher― and possible savior, if not this girl in front of me.

I feel all of the lingering emotions I had fade away like magic. There was no frustration, no anger, no sadness, no guilt. I felt nothing. Nothing at all.

I ran around this island all day, hiding and fearing for my life, with a girl who constantly thought I was making a pass at her. Then, we get chased by a progressively increasing amount of pursuers― one of them who Ibuki somehow knew, all the way here to Jabberwock Park. And after getting out of the biggest dogpile in the world, I discover that our pursuers were also students― my _classmates,_ courtesy of Ibuki's 'testimony'.

But if that wasn't ridiculous enough, I was threaten by a teddy bear― a walking, talking, breathing, teddy bear who thought I looked like someone it knew and wanted to kill me. Then, my savior, Peko Pekoyama, appears out of nowhere, using my "sacrifice" (as Ibuki puts it) as a distraction to send the damn thing soaring into the sky like something out of an anime.

All because I thought I was going to die.

…

There are no words that could describe the sheer amount of ridiculousness I dealt with all day. None, except for this phrase…

A huge pain in my ass.

"Hajime, are you listening?" My thoughts were cut short by Peko's stern voice. Her glare was so fierce that I thought it would burn a head through my head. "Aren't you going to answer my question?" she asks impatiently.

"I-I'm sorry. I was in… deep thought," I say. "Listen, I know you want me to answer your questions but can this wait until tomorrow? I'm tired and just want to go to sleep." That was the only I wanted now. Forget Usami and the mini-fridge. All I want is a comfortable bed to sleep this off like a really bad hang over.

But before Peko could interrogate me any further, something happened.

An arm popped out of our pile-up classmates.

It propped itself onto someone's back as support. Then, something erupted from the pile of flesh and bone, as if rising from beyond the grave.

It was Kazuichi.

"You!" he yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at me. He slowly stood to his feet, but the moment he took his first step, he toppled over forward, rolling down our classmates like he had fallen over a giant hill, and landed flat on the ground. I almost cringed at the sickening impact when landed face first on the concrete. That had to hurt.

Like a zombie, Kazuichi got back up and staggered toward me. It seems like each step he took used up every ounce of strength he had as he inched closer to me. When Kazuichi was in arm's reach, he seized me by the collar of my shirt and glared at me. Was he going to make go on his promise and beat the crap out of me? Ibuki did lied to him and Gundham about the contest back at the airport, and he looks like the kind of guy who doesn't let things go easily.

"Which do you think is better?... A Ferrari or a Lamborghini?..." he says weakly.

...

I was expecting a punch to the face, or at least a head-butt at this proximity. Answering a question about luxury cars was not one of those options.

...

"A Maserati," I deadpan, before letting all of the feeling in my body loosen and fell flat on my back. The back of my head hurts, but I don't care. Not about the throbbing pain all over my body, not about this field trip, not about the Hope Fragments, not about this crazy day. If this was all some dream and I was asleep in class, then someone please wake me up. This is not a place I want to be if I were in a coma. Out of my peripheral, I see Peko standing over me, her red eye looking slightly worried. This is the first I've seen her look at me with an expression other than an intense glare.

"Are you alright?" she asks. "This is the second time you've fallen to the ground."

"No, I'm fine," I say in the flattest, reassuring voice possible. "I'm just in thought."

"Lying on the ground?..." Peko says incredulously.

" _Very_ deep thought," I say.

"I see..." I hear Peko turn on her heels and walking away. "I'll go help the others get back on their feet. Don't stay down there too long unless you want to get physically examined by Mikan again," she says.

"Yeah...Thanks," I say tiredly. Physically examined, huh? At the end of the day, I never did figure out who this 'Mikan' girl was. Kazuichi did say that she was one of the reasons I wasn't left on the beach to burn in the hot sand. The way Peko talked about her must have meant that girl had medical experience. Perhaps she was a doctor or a nurse?

Come to think of it, Ibuki and I did ran into― well, almost _ran over_ someone like that on our way here. The only person that would fit that description would be the tall girl wearing the apron. Words of gratitude can come after I apologize to her the next time we meet. The same can go to the photographer girl. And maybe that traitor Ibuki since I haven't paid her back yet. And Peko― no, wait. I already thanked her before she started questioning me. I'll be sure to answer any questions she has tomorrow like I promised.

...

If this keeps up, I have more promises than I can keep.

This entire day was crazy, and a bit too unrealistic at that. I just hope that I really am dreaming when I wake up. My teacher will yell at me for falling asleep during another one of their lectures. I would then shoot up from my desk shouting "I'm awake!" when I really wasn't, get laughed at by my classmates and assigned extra homework. This is all just one crazy dream created from my daily stress with my school life and I was fast asleep in the real world. Yeah, that had to be it.

I stare up into the clouds. The sky was a mix of indigo and orange, and the sun had already begun to set.

So I'm going be stuck on this island for this entire field trip, huh? My task is to collect all of the Hope Fragments before the time limit under the supervision of our teacher, which happens to be a talking rabbit. And not only that, there were supposedly optional "Side Quests" that I can complete according to Chiaki. And I'm supposed do all of this 50-days?... Ridiculous! That was practically kidnapping and force labor. Everyone else here doesn't seem to be all that concerned about all of this, but I'm the only one here who does.

Well, it's not like everything's too bad. I mean, beside narrowing avoiding death from a maniacal teddy bear, I think I'm going to do okay here. All of my classmates seem to be pretty good people, if chasing me around an island all day defined that definition. And I've already gotten 6 Hope Fragments in one day…

The familiar beeping sound of my E-handbook emitted from my pocket.

And from my encounter with Peko, that total is up to 7. This damn thing nearly gotten me and Ibuki 'killed' at the supermarket, but it's my only reliable source for directions on this island. I better set all new Hope Fragment notifications to 'vibrate' sometime tomorrow.

I think… I think I'm going to be okay here.

I close my eyes. They feel heavy for some reason. I should be doing this sort of thing in the comfort of my bed, but I didn't care. This was probably all some crazy dream and my teacher or one of my classmates in the real world will probably wake me up any minute now. Even while I'm thinking about this. At least in _that_ world, my classmates weren't half as crazy as these people.

And so, my first day on Jabberwock Island (and hopefully my last) came to an end.

…

 **Part 11**

 _ **Inside the Future Foundation apartment complex**_

"What the fuck?"

That classic phase of vulgarity was openly expressed as both Future Foundation men stared at the scene laid before them. A look of utter confusion came over Ryoga's face while Yuuranga remained unfazed as it did earlier after his 'transformation', albeit a slightly raised eyebrow.

Deep down, they regretted not observing the situation more carefully before kicking the door open like armed burglars. Both men weren't strangers to dangerous scenarios and knew to handle them accordingly based on their judgment and skills...

So what was the appropriate response for this one?

Makoto, looking shocked and terrified, lied on the floor with his elbows propped on the carpet. The jacket and trouser pants of his Future Foundation uniform was torn asunder, fully exposing his bare legs and chest in the open. A crooked, trail of red kiss marks ran up his abdomen, past his chest, and ended on his lips, which were noticeably redder than the other marks leading up to them.

Kyoko was more composed than Makoto, her usual stoic expression had the slightest look of surprise, but not a single trace of fear. Her appearance, however, was the main focus of the two men's attention. She was naked― not birthday suit naked, not top off, bottom-off or vice-versa naked (whichever you perverts prefer), but all-in-her-underwear kind of naked. Yes, she was clad in nothing but her brassiere and panties. All of them the color black, a far-cry from the occasional white or striped kind in any typical ecchi or harem anime.

Both of the young adults' reactions to a door being kicked in by two men with weapons drawn (and dropping them) would've be acceptable in a life-or-death situation. However, their appearances and the lack of a perpetrator, didn't match with this strange awkwardness in the room. True, Makoto's scream of terror made the two men run towards its source and the barricade that obstructed their path gave them the impression that it was meant to delay them...

But what the Future Foundation duo experienced so far and the state of their two fellow members, could be misinterpreted.

...

It was no secret that some members of the Future Foundation tended to "bond" with one another, and that was perfectly normal in the organization. Not that the world's population was dangerously low or the word 'future' in Future Foundation meant something else entirely, but because of the world they lived in. There was no guarantee that members would return alive after a mission, but they weren't 'stirring a giant pot' as a certain writing prodigy had said in their first group meeting. Some of them even formed relationships during their time of work, and it was welcomed with words of praises and other forms of approval.

However, rules need to be implemented to maintain a 'healthy work environment'. Yuu and Ryoga designated themselves with that important task, and they read those rules to every new member that joined the Future Foundation. The top three being the upmost priority:

Rule #1: Be presentable (fully-clothed) at all times, even after 'bonding' with your partner. Nightgowns, casual clothing, and pajamas are acceptable during call-outs. Designed uniforms are to be worn otherwise.

Rule #2: Never 'bond' with another member's partner. This is an organization, not a swingers' club. Any offenders will be punished accordingly to the offended person(s) wishes', except for death.

Rule #3: Protection is provided in the infirmary if you don't have any. It may be a long trip for some of you, but your partner isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

With everything about sexual conduct covered in that long list of rules that would make the goddess Aphrodite hire an attorney, both men thought they could rest easy knowing that set of rules would serve as a safeguard. They thought their fellow members would understand those rules and abide by them, and neither of them would never have to endure the embarrassment of lecturing offenders on the matter...

But the two half-naked, young adults who have already broken Rule #1 and several others, said otherwise.

Seriously, what were they thinking?

That thought alone was enough to bring Ryoga back to his senses. He quickly composed himself and broke the silence. "Makoto..." he began calmly. "What set of rules did we go over after you joined this organization?"

"Were they about not going around headquarters knocking on doors and running away?" Negi asked softly.

"No, not those rules," Ryoga corrected. "The other ones."

"The ones about taking the vehicles out on joyrides?"

Ryoga's eyebrow twitched at the boy's naiveté. "Let me rephrase my question..." he said, kneeling down to retrieve his dropped Taser gun. "What were the second set of rules we went over _after_ that?"

It wasn't an immediate response, but Makoto's face lit up when the answer came to him. "Oh! You mean the ones where we were talking about... 'bonding', right?" Even after struggling to say the word, the slightest bit of a blush ran across his cheeks.

"Yes, those rules," Ryoga's stern voice broke the boy out of his temporal embarrassment. "And which one are you breaking right now?"

"It is... rule number 1?" Makoto inquired.

"That's the one," Ryoga nodded. "Can you explain to me, word to word, or in your own words exactly what that rule states? The one on the handout I gave you in the meeting two weeks ago?"

"Um..." Makoto put a hand under his chin, searching for the answer. "Could it be the one about being presentable at all times, even after 'bonding' with your partner?"

"Yes, that one," Ryoga said. "And what state of dress is Kyoko in?"

"Well, uh..."

Even though Makoto knew the answer to that question, he wasn't going to express it. His eyes quickly glanced over to Kirigiri's half-naked form before averting his gaze.

"Boy, you needn't not worry," the icy, cold voice of Yuuranga spoke, making him flinch. "I doubt that the woman would change her opinion about you if you have given your answer. This may be my first time meeting the both of you, but I can assure you that much."

Makoto's mouth opened slightly, as if he were about to say speak before he closed it. True, Kyoko wouldn't have thought less of him, even if had answered Ryoga's question. In fact, there was a time at the academy she expressed preferring him to remain his self. It was probably the first time anyone _didn't_ criticize him of his way of reasoning, a fact that he admittedly thought was one of his best qualities.

But there was one question on the Makoto's mind.

"Um... Have we meet before?"

The 'demon' smiled softly. "Ah, that's right. We haven't meet before. I'm terribly sorry. You have my sincere apology... Both you and the woman." Yuuranga fixed his eyes on Ryoga's with an icy glare. "Human. Why haven't you told them about me?"

"Because _he_ should be the one to tell them," Ryoga retorted. "Yuu's responsible enough to make his own decision, even if he is reckless."

"Point," Yuuranga said. He turned back to Makoto, the latter flinching once their eyes met. "You needn't to be frighten of me. I am your ally. If I wanted to, I would've killed you already."

"What?!" Makoto quickly shot up to his feet, as if he had just heard the most horrible news in the world. Even Kyoko followed the same action he did, her emotionless features harden into a deathly exterior.

"Hey, knock it off with that kind of talk," Ryoga cautioned, his finger already on the trigger of the Taser gun. "Do I need to tase you, or can you control yourself?"

Despite the taller man's words, the demon simply smiled, as if he had registered the threat as a compliment. "You needn't to worry human. I was merely joking. I would never kill people unless an appropriate reason presented itself. And these two mortals seem like they wouldn't pose an immediate threat to me, unlike this Togami person I harbor a strange hatred for. Or perhaps this is the boy's hatred?..."

Whether Yuuranga's statement was originally intended as an insult or a genuine compliment didn't matter to Makoto. In fact, it made him kind of upset. Before he could speak to the 'demon' who seemed to be having a self-debate within himself, he was cut off by a steely voice.

"You say that we're allies, but we still down know your name," Kyoko said, wrapping herself in a bedsheet without a hint of embarrassment. Her eyes never left the 'demon' as she did. "If I may ask, who are you?"

Yuuranga's content smile suddenly disappeared and a serious expression took its place. "I don't have a name, but the one I was given by the boy is something that befits my power. So you..." he said, his calm voice in contrast to the coldness of his crimson eyes. "May call me Yuuranga. Born from despair and anger as hot as the fires of hell itself, I have returned from my yearly slumber. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintances."

If Kyoko was impressed, it didn't show. She stared at him without so much as blinking.

Makoto, however...

"My name is Makoto Naegi," he said, taking a few steps forward with an outstretched hand. The shock of having his door kicked open by two men seemed to fade away from him like magic. "I can't really do quite an introduction like you did because of what happened, so please forgive me for sounding a bit nervous. It's nice to meet you, too."

"That's perfectly fine," Yuuranga said, taking Makoto's hand into his and shaking it. "One doesn't need to be someone else, but rather themselves in order to achieve something greater. Such as our greeting just now."

"Right!" Makoto nodded with strange vigor. "It's better to just be yourself and have people appreciate who you are really are. Everyone seems to be trying hard to be someone different on the outside when was really matters is on the inside."

"Exactly," Yuuranga agreed. "I'm glad that I'm able to connect with one who shares the same idea. It's very difficult to find someone that has something in common with you."

"I know how you feel," Makoto said. "Usually people say that I'm leading people along because of my talent. But it doesn't have any to do with that. Giving everyone hope just happens to be one of my best qualities."

To that declared trait, the 'demon' raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well, if I may be so bold, I would like to know more about this 'hope' of yours."

"Oh no," Kyoko and Ryoga bemoaned in unison.

Makoto quickly averted his gaze from Yuuranga's. "Well, it's nothing special really. I just didn't want to lose any more of my friends. It wasn't official, but Kyoko was the one who suggested it. Then again, she _is_ the headmaster's daughter so in some way I guess that does―"

"Anyways," Kyoko cut in, making everyone turn to her. "I believe you broke down Makoto's door for a reason. Or did you simply do it for your own amusement?"

"She's right, you know," Ryoga said. "You two can have your little shonen manga moment another time."

Unfazed by the taller man's verbal jab, Yuuranga disengaged the handshake. "It's seems that we must continue this conversation another time," he said, dissatisfied. "While this isn't the 'moment' that I've sensed, I do believe I've earned myself a little... parting gift for my time."

As confusion appeared over Makoto's face, Yuuranga bent over to retrieve his cellphone from the floor, and activated its camera mode. He didn't even bypass its security screen when shown. Then, with his finger on the volume button, he aimed the cellphone at Makoto and Kyoko...

 _CLICK!_

The mechanical sound of a camera shutter echoed throughout the room. Strangely, it made Makoto's face turn beet red and Kyoko's had the tiniest look of surprise.

"H-Hey!" Makoto stammered. "What was that for?"

 _CLICK!_

"You did it again!" he yelled. "What are you taking pictures for?!"

"Hey, what did we just talk about?" Ryoga stern voice called to Yuuranga. "Do you want me to break that phone of yours?"

"This will be the boy's new screensaver," Yuuranga said, already tapping away on the cellular device, as if he hasn't heard the taller man's words. "He might not be able to thank me in person, but I will feel his gratitude in the confines of his mind."

Once he pressed the button on the confirmation screen to save the preferred settings, the 'demon' methodically ran his crimson eyes over the newly-configured screensaver. Giving himself a smile of satisfaction, Yuuranga slipped the cellphone back into his pocket.

"That should be enough for now," he said. "Well, I believe it's time I take my leave for now." The 'demon' stared at a partially-embarrassed Makoto with a smile. "As I said before, if you want to continue our conversation, do not hesitate on contacting me. Although the boy might make it difficult for us to communicate."

"Um, okay..." Makoto nodded once like a broken doll.

"Splendid. And as for you..."

Yuuranga turned his gaze on Kyoko. In return, she glared at the 'demon' with eyes that threaten to freeze a person's spine. For a moment they just stared at one another, no words were spoken and not a single sound was made. Their staring could have lasted for an eternity, perhaps even eons. But then, just before it could reach that stage, the 'demon' finally broke the silence.

"I look forward to speaking to you as well," he said. Kyoko's glare didn't relent even after Yuuranga said those words...

Then he gave her a mischievous wink.

Although it wasn't an immediate response, Kyoko's eyes twitched slightly and her deathly glare towards Yuuranga faded altogether.

That would be the second time the Ultimate Detective's composure had falter since the Future Foundation duo's arrival. Yuuranga took pride in seeing her reaction and chuckled at the sight.

"Alright, that it's. You're getting tazed," Ryoga suddenly said, his Taser gun already aimed at the 'demon's head.

The taller man might have not been pointing the weapon at him, because the demon simply stared at him. "That's unfortunate. But you're far too late for that."

Ryoga glowered at him. "What do you mean that?"

Instead of answering, Yuuranga close his eyes and inhaled a long, deep breath. Then, before Ryoga realized it was happening, he exhaled. The color of his snow white hair faded away almost instantly, turning pitch black. His metallic silver suit did so as well, reverting back to its previous black color.

In just one breath, everything about the 'demon', Yuuranga had completely disappeared. The three Future Foundation members who witnessed the spectacle could only stare at the man in abate silence.

Then slowly, his eyes open, revealing a set of brown eyes...

With pupils that suddenly shrank smaller than pinpricks.

...

 **Part 12**

"Wh-Wh-Wh- _Whaaat_ the hell is going ooooon?!..." Yuu demanded, slurring his words like a drunk.

"It's seems like you're back to your usual self," Ryoga said, concealing the Taser gun his coat pocket.

"Of course I... I..." he trailed off, shaking his head wearily. "Am... Wh-What the hell made you think I wasn't?..."

Ryoga shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know. I figured you wouldn't want to be here after blowing up a barricade."

"Barricade...?" Yuu spoke the word, as if it we his first time hearing it. Almost immediately, his strange drunkenness seemingly cured itself. "Oh shit, that's right! The barricade! We need to find a way get rid of it!"

"Settle down, Yuu. No need to get so worked up over it," Ryoga assured him. "Thanks to him, it appears that we got past it in one piece."

"Him?..." Yuu asked bewilderingly. "Who's him?"

"I believe he's referring to that white-haired persona that disappeared just a moment ago," Kyoko informed.

"White-haired persona?..." Yuu muttered. "Oh. You mean _him_. How the hell did _he_ even get out in the first place?"

"Apparently, you thought that these two were doing the nasty and then powered by 'rage' to get to the other side, you become a Super Saiyan." Ryoga said in a dramatically, sarcastic manner.

"Wow. Thanks for the helpful explanation there. We really needed that piece of information."

"It's what I do best," Ryoga said with a smile.

"I get the feeling that you screwin' with me on purpose," Yuu surmised.

"Am I really?"

"Yes! Yes you are!"

"A-Anyways, it looks like you're back to your usual self," Makoto said, obviously trying to resolve the 'dispute'.

"Yeah. And I'll be making sure it stays that way," Yuu agreed. Realization sparked in his eyes when he saw who'd spoken to him. "Oh, hey there kid. I didn't notice you were there and― What the hell happened to you?"

Makoto turned away from Yuu's questioning gaze. "It's a... long story."

"I bet it is," Yuu said knowingly. His eyes swiveled over to Kyoko's semi-decent form. "And why is Kirigiri over there wrapped in a bedsheet like that?"

"I-It's not what you think!" Makoto said. "When I woke up, Kyoko was lying next to me. Nothing didn't happen!"

Yuu didn't seem entirely convinced by his statement. "Really? And did you always have those hickeys on your chest?" He gestured at Makoto's chest with his head.

"H-Hickeys?!..." Makoto eyes followed Yuu's gaze and true to his word, a visible trail of red lipstick-colored hickies were speckled all over his chest.

"Crap! I must have gotten these from―"

Makoto bit his bottom lip before he could say another word. However, it must have not gone unnoticed because Ryoga raised an eyebrow.

"From who exactly?" Ryoga demanded, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

"I don't know who―!"

"Was it from Kirigiri?" the taller man interrupted. "Because those hickeys are the same color as the lipstick she's wearing."

"They are?..." Kyoko sounded surprised, putting a finger to her lips almost instinctively. "But I don't wear lipstick."

"You don't?!" Makoto and Yuu both exclaimed.

"You don't?..." Ryoga seemed skeptical about it.

"I don't," Kyoko said plainly. "Other than chap stick for when the weather is cold, I never wore lipstick in my life."

"Then why are your lips red?" Ryoga asked. "Even _you_ must have notice that."

"I had a compact with me in my skirt pocket," Kyoko answered. "But as you may have already saw, it's gone along with my uniform."

"I see..." Ryoga nodded once. "So you two _weren't_ breaking rule number 1 of those guidelines."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Makoto practically screamed. "Nothing happened!"

"That what _did_ happen?" Ryoga said, demanding an answer. "You two looked like you did foreplay after snorting a pound of cocaine."

"I...!" Again, Makoto bit his lip, lowering his head as he did. "I don't know..." he said weakly. "I really don't know..."

A long silence fell over them when those words were spoken. Even Kyoko, who said very little, didn't move or say anything. No one wasn't going to deny that the events that had transpired today were heretic, and their unanswered questions that seemed to hover over them like a dark cloud only added to their confusion.

"Look, kid..." Yuu spoke up, gathering everyone's attention. "I know that a lot of crazy shit happened today. From you and Kyoko's little experiment and to me going 'Super Saiyan' for all the wrong reasons. And while I could be slammin' both of you with sex jokes that would make you want to put on two pairs of underwater right now, I still have one question on my mind..."

"And that is," Ryoga asked.

"How the hell did I get here?"

The taller man's eye twitched. "Did I say this before? Because of _him_ , we got past the barricade and now we're here."

"I know that," Yuu said impatiently. "I'm asking you _how_."

Seeing the younger's man glare, he sighed heavily and answered, "Believe it or not, _he_ used his so-called 'powers' to destroy the barricade."

Yuu didn't seem to accept that answer because his glare at the taller man intensified. "Did you smoked weed instead of cigarettes today? I don't have superpowers and I never will have any. The only thing that comes close to that is whenever _he's_ here. According to our colleagues, I look like a 'really cool meth addict' whenever that happens."

"Does a 'really cool meth addict' blow up a barricade using a grenade?" Ryoga asked.

It was an actual question aimed towards Yuu, but Makoto make the first move to answer it. However, before he could say speak, Kyoko placed a hand on her shoulder and gave him a look. Her eyes said, 'Don't answer that question," and Makoto seemed to understood the meaning behind them and remained silence, looking slightly deflated.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Yuu demanded.

"I mean exactly what I said," Ryoga said sternly, glaring at him. "You blew up the barricade with a grenade."

All of a sudden, Yuu's anger spiked to its boiling point.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" he exploded. "WHY WOULD YOU LET ME DO THAT?!"

"Technically, it wasn't you at the time and the idea to destroy it was solely _his_ idea," Ryoga retorted.

"THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT! WHY WOULD YOU LET ME― _**HIM**_ OF ALL PEOPLE DEAL WITH A BARRICADE?!"

"I thought he was going to take it apart piece by piece."

"With a _grenade_?! Are you kidding me?! Why didn't you stop me?!"

Ryoga seemed to falter for a moment. "That's..."

"Wait a minute..." Yuu said, his angry instantly subsided as he eyed the taller man with suspicion. "Were you intimidated by the other me?"

"Of course not," Ryoga replied, turning his head away from him.

"Liar! When you do that thing where you turn your head, you're lying!" Yuu shouted.

"What are you, my mother?"

"No, but I sure as hell don't wanna be your father either! Dammit, Ryoga! You're the Captain― the fucking _Captain_ of this branch. That's my― _was_ my rank and you've been in this organization longer than me! You suppose to give _me_ orders, not let your subordinates blow up the inside of buildings with explosives! And I'm your Lieutenant for fuck's sake!"

"You seem to know our ranks, but you ignore orders from your superior to not use unauthorized explosives."

"That wasn't my fault! And I call semantics! Fucking semantics!"

As the two Future Foundation men exchanged heated words about ranks and explosives, Makoto and Kyoko watched from a distance on the former's bed.

"Should we stop them?" Makoto whispered to Kyoko.

"No," she said with the tiniest of smiles. "It's good for men their age to vent out their frustrations."

"You're still bothered by what Yuu did earlier, aren't you?"

Kyoko say nothing but glared at the boy.

"Because of you, the higher-ups are going to be all over my ass for this!" Yuu seethed, pointing an accusatory finger at the taller man. "I want a new partner― no, better yet, I want a new Captain!"

"Stop over-exaggerating things," Ryoga reprimanded. "The worst you'll get off with is a lecture. And without me, you wouldn't have become a member of the Future Foundation when we found you."

"That's different!" Yuu defended. "What I did was in the past and don't bring that up even again!"

He pointed a finger Makoto, who looked surprised by the sudden action. "If the kid were running things around here, he would have the balls to stop me from blowing up a hallway! Come on, kid. Back me up here."

However, Yuu might as well have been talking to him. Instead of receiving the support for his proclamation like he expected, a confused Makoto was the outcome.

"Um, well..." he hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "If it's for the sake of hope―"

"No. No, you wouldn't." Kyoko bluntly stated.

"You're right, I wouldn't." Makoto solemnly admitted. "That would jeopardize everyone's safety, depending on the situation."

"Traitor!" Yuu yelled. "Don't agree with your girlfriend on everything, you god damn virgin!"

"I-It's nothing like that!"

"I think I had enough with this romantic comedy routine," Ryoga said, his frustration beginning to make itself know. "I still need to question these two on what went on here. And Yuu needs to speak to the higher-ups about the mess he made."

As if on cue, a blaring sound emitted from Ryoga's pocket.

"Speak of the devil," he said. The taller man pressed the 'ANSWER' icon on the screen and put the phone up to his ear. "Future Foundation, 14th Branch, Captain Ryoga speaking..."

There was a pause.

"Yes, he's right here with me," Ryoga said.

There was another pause.

"Yes sir. I'm putting him on the phone right now."

Just before he did what he promised, Ryoga mouthed the words "It's for you," to Yuu before holding the phone out towards him.

Yuu's stared at the phone intensely. His gaze almost threatened to burn a hot through it. However, what seemed like an eternity of gazing ended when he let out a heavy sigh and snatched the device out of Ryoga's hand. He placed it against his ear and spoke.

"Future Foundation, 14th Branch, Lieutenant Yuu speaking," he said in mockingly casual tone as he walked out of the room.

There was angry shouting over the line.

"Yes sir, I know that using explosives isn't permitted inside headquarters."

More shouting came over the line.

"Of course I understand my position within the organization. You nag me about it every time something like this happens..."

Yuu kept talking in that mocking tone, even as he walked down the hallway, fading away in silence. There was barely a moment of silence before Ryoga turned his gaze back to Kyoko and Makoto, his eyes narrowed.

"Now that _that's_ out of the way, I believe I have some questions I liked to be answered."

...

 **Part 13**

"So let me get this straight and correct me if I'm wrong about something..." Ryoga said calmly. "Someone knocked on the door, you opened it and you were knocked out by someone while standing guard for Makoto, but you couldn't see who attacked you...

"Yes," said Kyoko.

"And Makoto, you said that some girl was inside your room, half-naked with the intention to kill you."

"Yes," said Makoto.

"And because of this 'half-naked girl', she torn your uniform to pieces, took Kyoko's, left hickies all over your chest, and put red lipstick on Kyoko's lips, which she herself said she never wears. Did I leave anything out?"

"No," Kyoko and Makoto said in unison.

"And that's both of your accounts in all of... 'this', and you're sticking with them?"

"Yes," Both of them said again.

Ryoga gave both of them a look.

"You know, if you two wanted to screw each other, all you had to do was leave a "DO NOT DISTURB' sign on your doorknob and we would've have gotten the hint. For God's sake, we had a meeting about this a month ago."

"We weren't doing anything like that!" Makoto protested for the umpteenth time. "How many times do we have to tell you?"

"Technically, _you_ were the only one denying those claims. Kyoko here haven't say a word about it," Ryoga said. "The way I'm looking at this, either you must be lying or she must be deliberately keeping silence."

"That's not it all it! Kyoko is..." he trailed off, trying to find the right word. " _Kyoko_ , and she does things because she has reasons for doing it."

"Sounds like you don't know a lot about your friend than you let on," Ryoga said doubtfully. "Oh man, this is going to break Yuu's spirit. And he had such high hopes for the two of you..."

"That's―!" Makoto paused, raising a confused eyebrow. "Wait a minute. Did Yuu really say that?"

"Well, it was more like he had high hopes of you and Kyoko getting married in the future and having a son," Ryoga explained. He shrugged indifferently. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you named the kid after him or have his letters in the kid's name."

"No. That will never happen," Kyoko said firmly, earning the surprised gazes of Makoto and Ryoga's.

"So you _were_ bothered by what Yuu did," Makoto said.

"On second thought, maybe I'll retract my remark about you not knowing anything about Kyoko," Ryoga quipped. "But on a more important note, there's still one question I need an answer for."

"And that is?" Kyoko said.

"Who the hell attacked you?"

"I have no idea," she replied calmly, a contemplating look in her eyes. "When I opened the door, there was a tiny spray bottle and white gas. The moment I inhaled it, I lose consciousness. What about you, Makoto? Do you know anything about the person who tried to kill you?"

"Wh-What?!" he stammered. "Why would you ask me?"

"Because you were the only one who saw our attacker's face," Kyoko answered. "That's put you in a very good position of identifying them and at the same time, a very bad one."

"That's true, but I don't know if anything I say could be of any help," he said.

Ryoga raised an eyebrow at this. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean; I'm not denying what happened to me and Kyoko... But the person I saw couldn't have been a person at all."

"I don't understand. What do you mean by that?" Ryoga asked.

The luckster answered the taller man. "What I mean is I could have been hallucinating. After all, Kyoko's experiment did kind of made me a little crazy and I'm not in the best shape to be giving information."

"Are you calling that explosion just now a hallucination?" Ryoga questioned, angrier than demanding. "Because Yuu had to blow up a barricade and unless you want to speak to the higher ups about you higher ups about your 'hallucinations', I suggest you start telling me what the hell is going on here."

If the taller man's eyes could bore a hole through Makoto's head, that would best describe his gaze. However, before he could break the laws of reality, Kyoko spoke up.

"While there's still the matter of questioning Makoto for information, I don't think that should be our first priority," Kyoko calmly advised. "There's still the matter of finding whoever set that barricade, and I can say for certain that wasn't either of us."

"And in the person who did is probably still inside headquarters," Ryoga added. "We'll continue this discussion later, but for now our first priority is―"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M RECKLESS?!"

Yuu's angry voice shook the hallway, cutting him off.

"No, I'm not raising my voice towards you..."

There was a long pause.

"Yes, I understand that you can demote me."

Another pause.

"Yes sir, I understand... Of course, sir. I'm handing the phone over to right now..."

Faster than he promised, Yuu appeared in front of the opened door with the cell phone in hand, pointing a finger at it. He mouthed a few incoherent words to Ryoga, making the taller man eyes widen.

Ryoga stared at the cellphone. "As I was saying, our top priority is searching for the culprit. Kirigiri, I want you to stay here with Naegi until I give you further instructions. Naegi, you just stay here and rest like you're been doing. None of you are to leave this room for any reason until I give you further orders. Understood?"

"Understood," Kyoko said, nodding once.

"Yeah... Got it," Makoto said, nodding as well.

"Alright then," Ryoga said finally, advancing towards the door. "I got to speak to the higher-ups about something. I'll have the guys handling security to check all of the cameras for any sign of whoever did this. If they see something, we also might be able to identify this person that behind all of this. Maybe the person we're looking for is one in the same. Who knows..."

He gave them one last, parting look before he turned to leave. However, just as the taller man was about to take a step into the hallway, Ryoga suddenly stopped.

"Oh, and by the way..."

He gave Makoto and Kyoko a blank stare.

"Put some clothes on. Just because you two weren't doing the nasty, doesn't mean you're exempted from rule number 1,"

With those last words, Ryoga walked out the room and into the hallway...

Before he returned seconds later.

"Oh and in case I forget, we'll be get a new member soon. I don't have time to explain but it's a girl so whatever you do: _**don't tell Yuu anything**_. I cannot stress that enough. Also, we'll be getting new badges on our uniforms so expect those too."

And quickly as he reappeared, Ryoga was gone again. His voice could be heard, saying, "Sorry about the delay. This is Future Foundation Captain Ryoga speaking," before slowly fading away from existence.

For a moment, Makoto and Kyoko didn't move or say a word. There was a brief moment of silence until the luckster spoke.

"If we're getting badges for our uniforms, then shouldn't we get new uniforms?"

That obvious fact earned himself a glare from Kyoko.

"What?" She didn't answer him. Instead, her glare intensified. "... _What?!_ It was a legitimate question!"

"I know, Makoto," Kyoko said, sighing. She wrapped herself in more of the bedsheet, as if she were freezing. "Believe me, I know..."

...

Junko Enoshima seethed silently as she watched the despairingly-irritating 'confrontation' from underneath Makoto Naegi's bed.

" _Dammit! Why won't that emotionless broad leave already?!_ " Junko thought. " _I'm still in my―_ her _underwear and I'm freezing my ass off under here! Not to mention that I'm hunger because oh-so-innocent Makoto didn't have jack-shit in his mini-fridge, except for curry._ Fucking _curry!"_

Junko breathed a small, silent sigh. _"He should really consider having more meat and calcium in his diet... Things like... Gyoza or edamame beans. A few bottles of milk wouldn't hurt either. He wouldn't be so hopelessly short if he had any of that and― Okaaaay, this new big-sister personality hasta go. How I got it is a mystery to me. This better be the only one."_

Closing her eyes in contemplation, she continued her musings. _"Well, it's not like I'll have to worry about_ him _or this new personality. After all, he'll be dead once that bitch leaves the room. Those fools have no idea that the virus in their little program is wreaking havoc right under their noses... And I don't even have to lift a finger. All I have to do is sit back, grab some popcorn, and let the despair spread."_

Junko tilted her head to the side. _"Come to think of it, I wonder how much progress did it made so far..."_

...

 _ **On Jabberwock Island**_

On the second island, Monokuma laid face down in the bench sand, motionless.

Then suddenly, it's lower body leaped into the air- or at least tried to- and landed on both of its tiny feet. The bear attempted to pull its head out of the ground in one motion, using both of its arms and legs as leverage, but it didn't budge in the slightest. It did this several more times, but just when Monokuma's efforts seemed to be futile, it pulled its head out of the ground at last with a final tug, rolling backwards into a despairingly exhausted heap.

Its head rose up suddenly.

"Of course you realize, this means war," Monokuma said, it's red eye gleamed menacingly.

With that declaration, Monokuma head's fell back onto the sand.

...

The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes was flames.

Everyone around him was in flames. The mountains, the buildings, even the ocean itself was set ablaze. It was as if he had woken up in a blazing inferno― perhaps even as paradisiac one, if not for the burning palm trees that illuminated the night sky.

 _Wh-Where the hell am I?!..._

His feet were already moving across the sand, which was the color crimson red. His eyes darted side to side through the thin layer of smoke, searching for anyone― anything that could provide him the answers he desperately needed. Beads of sweat were already falling down from his forehead, a few of them getting into his eyes. However, it didn't faze him in the slightest as he wiped off the beads and ran.

"Over here, you stupid bitch!"

He heard that string of profanity followed by gunshots in the distance. An explosion followed afterwards, and more profanity followed right behind it ("...That's a huge bitch!") but not from the same man. Those words came from a woman, a very polite sounding one, like a royal princess.

Whether he was drawn towards the voice out of sheer curiosity― because it was unbecoming for a princess to use foul language― was pushed out of his mind as he proceeded towards its location.

However, before he could round the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks.

A tiny glimmer of light suddenly shone in front of him. Its wasn't exceptionally bright, but it's radiance was enough to break through the raging inferno behind it. He stood there, watching as the light slowly began to intensify, gradually drawing closer and... louder?

The light zoomed past him like a lightning bolt, then suddenly turned counter-clockwise to face him.

A few meters away, there was a motorcycle. Not the kind that one would see professional riders turn sharp corners and traverse over hills in arenas, but the kind typical biker gangs would have. On the driver seat, gripping the handles was a young boy with dusty blond hair, clad in a black tailored suit. Behind him, arms circled around his waist, wearing a dress that looked like a more elegant version of the main protagonist in Alice in Wonderland, was a princess. The headlight― the light that shone upon him just moments ago― continued to shine its radiance, even from a distance.

"Hey Zorro, or whatever the fuck you name is... I'd make like a hockey stick and get the puck out of her if I were you!" the young man told him.

"H-Huh?... W-Why? What going on?!"

Before the princess could give him an answer, a great shadow suddenly loomed over them. He turned around to see the cause of this darkness...

And his eyes widen like dinner plates.

A set of beautifully, huge legs wearing black boots over its feet, towered over them like a skyscraper. Connected to those legs was a gigantic hourglass figure; clad in a black cardigan over an equally as big white dress shirt. Both of its arms were huge, but slender each having a giant hand with red fingernails.

It's eyes― it's large pools of sapphire, stared down at them from above. Extremely long strands of strawberry pink hair tied in twin pigtails flowed serenely in the wind, like fine silk. If the smile that graced it's huge, pink lips made the giant attractive, then it's enormous chest was just as alluring. A few buttons from its outfit were unbuttoned, revealing a black, lacy bra and the biggest amount of cleavage in its giant standards.

It was a woman.

A big, beautiful woman.

"I've know I've already said this shit before... but THIS is clearly not fucking okay!"

Indeed, seeing an enormous woman― a very attractive one at that, was something he wouldn't normally see on a daily basis. Rotting corpses, destroyed homes and businesses were the usual.

However, his eyes weren't currently focused on those things at the moment.

The giant woman's red skirt hung low around his legs, providing him with a perfect view of both her towering stature and what was underneath her skirt.

...

Even her underwear was huge.

"Victoria's Secret..." he whispered longingly.

As if she had heard his comment, the giant woman glared at him fiercely and pulled her arm back into a punching motion...

And swung down her gigantic first.

...

"Gah!"

Yuu jolted up from his bed, landing face-first on his floor and taking the blanket with him.

"Ah, fucking hell! My face!"

As quickly as he cursed, Yuu closed a palm over his nose as he rolled around the floor in pain. His painful groans practically obscured the gentle sounds of the air conditioner as he did.

After a few moments, Yuu ceased his movements and slowly risen up to his feet, rubbing the bridge of his noise with an angry expression.

"Damn, this is what get for staying up late to write that book..."

Yuu pulled up on the waistband of his shorts that threaten to fall down from his waist. The next time he goes out on a mission, finding a clothing store that wasn't entirely looted and getting a pair of shorts his size was definitely a top priority. If those Monokuma helmet wearing bastards didn't show up this time, perhaps he'll secure a hoodie too. The Future Foundation uniforms suck ass and they were downright uncomfortable to begin with...

Yet, he's going to wear the damn thing once again.

Signing, Yuu walked towards his drawer and opened it, taking the uniform out and headed towards his bathroom. His head felt like someone put an eggbeater inside his cranium and turned the power up to its maximum and his legs felt like jelly, the grape kind that he should put on his toast for breakfast. Nothing a morning shower couldn't fix.

As he stepped into his bathroom, Yuu's mind drifted back to the nightmare he had experienced before falling on the floor. Nightmares was a normal thing in his life, and every human being― perhaps even animals, he thought― had one occasionally during their slumber. However, his nightmares were far more than illusions created from a late-night horror movie marathon or the childish delusions of the Boogeyman. They were reminders of his past― all of the decisions he made, the aftermath that followed, and the trail of blood carved from them.

But this one was different.

In spite of his throbbing headache, Yuu recalled the details of his dream. He was on an island and everything was on fire, a young man dressed like a Yakuza riding on a motorcycle with a princess as his passenger. Then there was this woman, a very attractive and giant woman who was _waaay_ too big for his preferences. Everything about that woman was huge; her legs, her breasts, even the underwear underneath her skirt...

"Victoria's Secret..." he mused.

Yuu slapped a palm against his forehead.

" _What am I thinking?!"_ he thought. _"I need to think about something else, and quick!"_

Fully removed his shirt from his chest and tossing it on the bed, Yuu focused his mental efforts on recalling images from dreams that weren't disturbing as that one. Completely a life-threatening mission without losing a comrade, fighting alongside an orange-haired swordsman against demons, being the best man at Makoto's and Kyoko's wedding without Togami being present in the audience.

...

Makoto's and Kyoko's wedding...

He was the best man...

And god damn-fucking Togami wasn't there...

"Yeaaaah... That one did the trick," Yuu said cheerfully, nodding as he did.

Smiling to himself, Yuu closed the bathroom door and began his daily routine.

 _ **One 5-minute shower and 3-minute hair trimming later...**_

The bathroom door opened, hot steam pouring out and filling the bedroom. A moment later, Yuu appeared from beyond the steam, as if shoving past it, clad in the Future Foundation he despised so much. He was gulping down the contents of a plastic water bottle.

"Alright, let's see what punishment the _Captain_ has decided for me..." he said.

Tossing the empty water bottle into the trash, Yuu pulled out his glasses from his pocket and put them on the bridge of his nose. With a satisfied smile, Yuu walked out the front door, closing it behind him.

...

Chapter 1: END

Lives lost in Future Foundation HQ: None

Students alive on Jabberwock Island: 16

...

 **To be continued...**

A/N: And that my dear readers is the final part of Chapter 1 of this story. In the next chapter, Hajime officially begins his new life on Jabberwock Island and Monokuma begins its quest for vengeance. But before any of that could happen, there's a verrry late Valentine's Day chapter that I'm working on that I've been meaning to get out. You guys and gals will be seeing _that_ before we get into Chapter 2 of this story.

On a more unrelated note, are any of you anticipated for Zero Time Dilemma as much as I am? I've seen the trailers a couple of times and while I do have few theories of what will happen, I'm just going to wait until I can play the game myself to confirm them myself. And then there's Persona 5 as well. I've seen the trailer and if Atlus is following the same social mechanics like in P3 or P4, I've already picked out my waifu for that game. I better not have to max out my Charm, Knowledge, or whatever to date them other I'm going to FREAK (lose it)!

...

Then again, even if they are in video games, you still have to work for girls like that. And the way I worded that in the previous paragraph makes me sound like some sort of sexual deviant. But this Mellow Dias isn't complaining! It gives me another good reason to strategize on what to do for when the game gets released here in North America.

But enough about that, what did you guys think? Did I do something right? Did I do something wrong? That's what that box at the bottom of the screen is there for. Don't be afraid to point out some flaws or discrepancies in this chapter. Your computer, tablet, or cellphone isn't going to blow up in your face if you offer constructive criticism.

Oh, and don't worry that those "two counters" at the end of the chapter. There's no need for those and it's certainly not anything you guys and gals don't need to worry about...

Yet.

Please leave a review if you wish. Comments and criticism are also welcomed. Also, don't be afraid to ask me questions. And like this Mellow Dias said, don't worry about the "two counters" that you should obviously be worried about.

Until next chapter, everyone!


	5. Chapter 1-5: Chapter 1 Recap (Abridged)

**WARNING! If you haven't read the Prologue and the first three parts of Chapter 1, get out of here! This chapter contains spoilers!**

...

And now with the author's note.

 **A/N: "** Hey everyone, so here that very late Valentine's Day chapter that I promised you would see in the last chapter"... Is what I would say if what you're reading now is actually it. If you want a detailed explanation on "Why?", read the ' **START HERE** ' line below. If you don't, scroll down until you see the words ' **END HERE** ' and read from there. Whatever you chose to do isn't going to make me hate you or anything like that. But hey, this Mellow Dias can't tell you what to do soooo... whatcha gonna do, bro/bra?

...

 **START HERE**

And now I can begin.

Now before you start saying, "Mellow Dias broke his promise and bulls**ted us" there are some things― well, actually two things you need to know before anyone of you go off the handle:

One; I DID write that chapter and it is done. I'm just not uploading it, which brings me to reason number two and that one can be easily explained if you were me― the person typing all of this and had written that monster of a chapter...

It can't be considered a Valentine Day's chapter anymore.

Don't get me wrong. When it comes to things like love, I'm familiar with that area. I mean, _very_ familiar with that area. The thing is, when you're writing and your mind is set on one particular subject and then you add multiple ones so your story doesn't look like some lovey-dovey crap that you want to vomit up in your toilet; you then realize that your story isn't befitting the theme that you want it to be about. By the time I was finished, I had over 100,000 words and over 200 pages of dialogue and exposition, all of that I managed to do in a month on energy-drink fueled nights to fulfil my promise to you all.

By the time I was done reading that extremely long piece of work and editing it, a shocking realization occurred to me...

This was not what I wanted. It was anything far from it.

Let me ask you this; does a Valentine's Day chapter deal with subjects such as sexual assault, rape, war, social/moral degradation, and depression?

...

If you answered "no", then you must understand that anyone who wants to write about something beautiful such as love can't put all of that depressing crap in a story, even if it's only a single chapter. Unless, they're really ballsy or just published it by mistake.

So, after mulling it over, I decided to do this: I'm going to chop out the depressing bits and make THAT into a one-shot story. Unfortunately, you won't be seeing it anytime soon and by the time I start Chapter 3 (we haven't started Chapter 2 yet, I know) of this story, some of you may be too focused on figuring out "who did what?' and "why did that happened?".

I don't want to break any promise(s) I make to you all, but if you actually SAW what I written on that 100,000+ word monster; you would agree that I shouldn't put something like that here in DR: The Ultimate Survival Trip.

Making the whole Valentine's Day chapter into another story wasn't something I didn't want to do, but ultimately; a decision to be made. I want to DO things and be able to show them to you all, not put them off for another day. I'm not trying to make excuses; I'm just being real with you all.

 **END HERE**

But don't worry, this Mellow Dias has you covered. I wrote this recap of the events of Chapter 1 in the form of a script. Think of this chapter as an abridged recap of everything that happened so far.

If you're going to be a writer or pursue a career that's related to it, you have to learn how to write a script. Most of us here know that fact but haven't s, maybe because "there's no need" or "we won't be using it in the future", but guess what?― This Mellow Dias is going to remind you all that knowing what a script is... is important! Even if you aren't going to be a writer or an author, this is something you may want to be familiar with.

For those who want to "interact" with the chapter, you're going to need a few things before you start reading. While everyone else is using their imagination or wondering "what the f**k is supposed to happen?", you'll have a step up when you get a chuckle or two when you press the play button. Just copy and paste the information listed below in another tab on Google or use your imagination, whichever floats your boat. You'll know when to use a certain sound as you read along.

Things you'll need:

1) Drama button (Or "DUN DUN DUUUUN!" if you prefer)

2) Any James Bond theme (You're only be using it for 4 seconds.)

3) Metal Gear Solid: Alert Sound (Any gamer or Metal Gear Solid fan should know this. No excuses!)

4) Sad Violin (When you see who's involved when you play this, you might hate me.)

5) Suspense sound effect 7 (Look it up on YouTube. I don't know the actually name of its original source.)

As for everything else... well... those things involve a very creative imagination. If you manage to make it to the end of this chapter, there's some... things that may interest you in the author's note. Who knows, there may be a small but obvious hint there to give you guys and gals a heads-up on what's going to happen in Chapter 2. Only time will tell... =)

Sorry for making this too long of an author's note. Let's get on with the chapter.

...

Disclaimer: This is a fan-based story! Owned by Spike Chunsoft! Support them and Kodaka Kazutaka!

All other anime, games, and characters own by respective owners! I make no money!

Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip

Chapter 1.5: The Totally Accurate Recap of the Events in Chapter 1 (In Script Format)

...

 **Kyoko:** I'm going to perform a potentially dangerous experiment on you while the readers only have quotations to piece together what is happening.

 **Makoto:** Why?

 **Kyoko:** To draw readers in some pathetic attempt to build up plot.

 **Makoto:** I don't know about the part about "plot" but this experiment sounds aweso―

(Kyoko jabs Makoto in the abdomen with her thumb)

 **Kyoko:** You're being stabbed by Sayaka Maizono.

 **Makoto:** AAHHH!

(cut to Makoto waking up in his room)

 **Makoto:** (thoughts) Oh God, I was being stabbed by Sayaka and― (notices that he's uninjured) Wait a minute, I'm perfectly fine. Oh well, I guess I better turn my head to see whatever's latched on to my arm and smells an awful lot like―

 **Junko:** (melodically) Hi, Naegi-kun~!

 **Makoto:** AAHHH!

 **[Prologue ends. Chapter 1 Part 1 begins]**

(cut to two men walking down the Future Foundation apartment complex hallways)

 **Yuu:** I'm a OC whose sort of like Ragna the Bloodedge for those of you who didn't get the reference in Chapter 1 Part 1.

 **Ryoga:** I'm also an OC who's a Stiyl Magnus wannabe and the only serious character in this story so far. Also, both of us don't have last names because the author's an idiot.

 **Mellow Dias:** Hey!

(Makoto's scream reverberates down the hall from behind them.)

 **Yuu:** That sounds like plot! Advance the story! (runs to Makoto's room)

 **Ryoga:** I need a cigarette. (runs after Yuu)

(We cut to Jabberwock Island where Hajime had just woken up)

 **Hajime:** (thoughts) I've mysteriously woken up in a cottage and I'm inwardly freaking out like every generic anime protagonist!

(Nagito knocks on the door, startling Hajime)

 **Komaeda:** Hi, my name's Nagito and I'm in love with hope.

 **Hajime:** Sorry Nagito, I'm not interested in hope and I should probably get a restraining order on you.

 **[The Nagito Komaeda Social Link has been established]**

 **Hajime:** I found a thing. (notices the e-Handbook on the table)

 **Nagito:** It's called the e-Handbook. It like an iPhone but for Social Links.

 **Hajime:** Social what-now?

(cut to the Future foundation apartment complex, where Makoto is currently freaking out over a bombshell of a woman lying next to him who should be dead)

 **Makoto:** (thoughts) There's a prostitute on my bed!... which isn't dead surprisingly. Wow, I am really letting the events of the first game get to me, aren't I? (looks at Junko) Are you a prostitute?

 **Junko:** No, but the author sure does get a kick out of making me look and act like one.

 **Makoto:** Are you alive?

 **Junko:** Yes.

(Shock shows on Makoto's face as dramatic music is played. (Play number 1 in the "Things You'll Need" here))

 **Junko:** Not only am I alive, I am a very real, and very super-sexy supermodel who spineless wimps like you strip with your eyes. I may or may not be a demon that can somehow read your mind based on the readers' inferences so far. And I may or may not rape you in the next 3 seconds. But I'll never say it flat-out. (A short pause) BAH!

 **Makoto:** AHH! (gets pounced by Junko)

 **[Part 1 of Chapter 1 ends. Part 2 begins]**

(cut to Hajime arriving at Hotel Mirai. Chiaki is playing a game that features the hairclip on her head, which the author cannot mention because of copyright issues.)

 **Hajime:** I should talk to that girl playing a video game to advance the story. Hi.

 **Chiaki:** Stop. You have two choices: Do you one; interrupt me and I proceed to make you look like an idiot, or two; keep walking and maintain your dignity. Choose now.

 **Hajime:** Do you know where the nearest cafeteria is?

 **Chiaki:** And Option one it is. We're on an island with fourteen other students with the hefty task of completing all the Social Links within 50 days. And seeing that you just made me lose my last life in G***ga, not to mention yell at me in the unabridged version of Chapter 1 Part 2 of this story: I am not liking your chances. So yeah... Get rekt.

 **Hajime:** (Has vision of hugging Chiaki on the beach) *Gasp* I know you!

 **Chiaki:** Huh?

 **Hajime:** Your name is Chiaki Nanami, isn't it?

 **Chiaki:** And you're going to get a Game Over if you don't tell me how do you know my name in the next five seconds.

 **Hajime:** Morphogenetic fields.

 **Chiaki:** ...That doesn't make any sense.

 **Hajime:** It's Danganronpa. Nothing make sense.

 **Chiaki:** Seems legit.

 **Hajime:** You wanna go on a date?

 **Chiaki:** Whatever.

 **[Chiaki Nanami Social Link established]**

(cut to Hajime and Chiaki eating in the cafeteria)

 **Hajime:** So can you tell what's going on?

 **Chiaki:** Or maybe you can go back and read what I just said in my previous dialogue.

(Teruteru enters... the conversation (you perverts).)

 **Teruteru:** Any room for one more?

 **Chiaki:** Yes.

 **Hajime:** NO!

 **Teruteru:** Borrowing the new guy.

(Teruteru proceeds to 'borrow' Hajime and led him to a faraway table.)

 **Teruteru:** Do you wanna bang this nurse you have no idea I'm talking about?

 **Hajime:** No.

 **Teruteru:** Do you wanna bang that gamer girl with polka-dot panties?

 **Hajime:** No! Yes! ...Maybe.

 **[Teruteru Hanamura Social Link established]**

(cut to Hajime walking to Jabberwock Park after saying good-bye to Chiaki)

 **Hajime:** Well, I guess I better head to Jabberwock Park now. I just hope that chef doesn't―

 **Mysterious Man (who is really Nekomaru):** Stop right there. I'm want you to turn around and show me your face for plot reasons.

 **Hajime:** Run like a little bitch! (Hajime proceeds to do just that)

 **Mysterious Man (who is really Nekomaru):** Wait! I'm actually a good person despite my intimidating appearance! (runs after Hajime)

 **Hajime:** I would do anything to be away from this guy right now! Like spending time with a prostitute... but without the sex! That would be awesome!

(cut to the Future Foundation apartment complex, where Junko has Makoto blindfolded and tied to his bed with suit ties and is about to kiss him)

 **Makoto:** (weakly) Gah! Why... are you... doing this?

 **Junko:** Because I'm out of character! (proceeds to make out with Makoto)

(cut to Yuu and Ryoga running towards Makoto's room)

 **Yuu:** We're running down the hallway! (Yuu slips and falls on his ass) Fuck!

 **Ryoga:** Ha ha. You fell flat on your― Fuck.

 **Yuu:** Oh no! It's a barricade!

(A barricade blocks Yuu and Ryoga's path, composed of school desks blocks held together by string with a Pokémon-style textbox, showing the text "A Giant Barricade has appeared" with Pokémon appropriate battle music)

 **Yuu:** I'mma tear it down!

(Yuu and the barricade engages in a Pokémon battle)

 **Battle Log (Yuu):** Yuu gains a preemptive strike! Yuu uses **Tug at Strings**! (tries to pull the strings off of barricade) It is ineffective!

 **Battle Log (Barricade):** Barricade uses **It's Painted String to Make It Look Like Regular String when It's Actually Made out of Iron Fibers!** (A blue aura envelops the barricade) Barricade's defense has increased!

 **Yuu:** Son of a bitch!

 **Ryoga:** Wait! Makoto and Kyoko is on the other side of this barricade!

 **Yuu:** I'mma turning S**er S***an! (Yuu transforms into Yuuranga) It's time for Round 2.

(Yuuranga and the barricade engages in a Pokémon battle)

 **Battle Log (Yuu):** Yuu has evolved into Yuuranga! Yuuranga uses **OP Hand Grenade!** (Barricade explodes into pieces) It's super effective! Barricade... explodes because inanimate objects can't faint in Pokémon. Yuuranga gains +10000 EXP!

(Ryoga stares in shock and horror at Yuuranga turning a barricade into an apocalypse in a matter of seconds)

 **Yuuranga:** Alright. Let's watch two kids have sex...

 **Ryoga:** (shocked) What the fu―!

 **Yuuranga:** _Who are above the age of consent in Japan._

 **Ryoga:** Oh. I am strangely concerned.

 **Yuuranga:** No. _America's_ concerned.

(cut to Yuuranga and Ryoga kicking in Makoto's door, weapons drawn)

 **Yuuranga:** Copyright and Wannabe to the rescue!

(Ryoga gives Yuuranga a blank stare)

 **Ryoga:** ...Really?

 **Yuuranga:** What? The author wanted us do this sometime later in the story.

 **Ryoga:** Not in this abridged recap of Chapter 1, he doesn't!

(Yuu and Ryoga drop their weapons at the horrid sight in front of them)

 **Yuuranga and Ryoga:** What the fu―

 **[Part 2 ends. Part 3 begins]**

(cut to Hajime entering Rocketpunch Market)

 **Hajime:** I'm being chased by a stranger! I apparently have time to look at a 20-liter bottle of Cola but not the time to find a goddamn hiding spot! (Looks at the clothing aisle) Oh look, a hiding spot!

(Hajime hides inside the clothing aisle to stumble upon Ibuki)

 **Hajime:** Oh no! The Grudge!

 **Ibuki** : (mocking) "Oh no! A pervert!" Yeah, how do you think I feel?

(cut to Sonia and Nekomaru searching for Hajime and Ibuki inside Rocketpunch Market)

 **Nekomaru:** I NEED TO SHIIIIIIIIT!

 **Sonia:** I'M ALSO YELLLLLLING!

 **Ibuki:** WE'RE SCREEEEWED!

 **Sonia:** I hear something from the clothing aisle!

 **Ibuki:** Fuck! What are we gonna do, Hajime-chan?

 **Hajime:** Put your hand inside my pants... (Ibuki slides her hand inside Hajime's pants) Pocket!

 **Ibuki:** Wait! I found something!

 **Hajime:** Is it black and hard?

(An awkward silence follows)

 **Ibuki:** ...Here's the thing!

 **Hajime:** I got the thing!

 **Ibuki:** How is your thing going to get out of here?

 **Hajime:** By going Double O' Six!

 **Ibuki:** Don't you mean Double O' Sev―

(Hajime throws his e-Handbook at the surfboards while the James Bond theme song music plays in the background (play 4 seconds of number 2 on that list here if you haven't already). The E-handbook hits the surfboards in a rather anti-climactic fashion… and falls to the floor. Nekomaru and Sonia notices it.)

 **Nekomaru:** Noise!

 **Sonia:** Surfboards!

 **Hajime:** Safety!

 **Ibuki:** Thank you, Hajime-chan. From now on, Ibuki's your best buddy and she'll do anything for you! Heck, she'll even give you a pair of her pan―

 **Ibuki's E-Handbook:** INCOVENIENT PLOT DEVICE!

 **[Ibuki Mioda Social Link established]**

(Nekomaru and Sonia focused their attention on the clothing section. (Play number 3 on that list here.)

 **Hajime:** Fuck.

 **Ibuki:** Leaving you behind, Hajime! (runs out of Rocketpunch)

 **Hajime:** Traitor! (runs after Ibuki)

 **Ibuki:** Yay!You're part of Ibuki's team now!

 **Hajime:** You left me to die, you crazy bitch!

(cut to Kazuichi and Gundham looking at Hajime and Ibuki running towards the airport)

 **Kazuichi:** Hey Gundham, you wanna follow those two people?

 **Gundham:** Ballin'.

(cut to Hajime and Ibuki inside the airport)

 **Hajime:** Let's hide in that bathroom!

 **Ibuki:** (pouting)No!

(Kazuichi and Gundham appears)

 **Kazuichi:** Hi.

 **Ibuki:** Zoinks! (hides behind Hajime)

 **Hajime:** Who are you?

 **Kazuichi:** I'm Socket Wrench and this is...

 **Gundham:** The Dark Lord!

(A Borderlands-style intro screen appears, showing the text "Supreme Overlord of Ice" and "Dark Lord")

 **Ibuki:** All of us were featured in an +18 doujinshi. Except you, Kazuichi-chan! You weren't there! There was another guy, but it wasn't Kazuichi-chan.

 **Kazuichi:** ...I don't know if I should be offended or sad.

 **[Socket Wrench and The Dark Lord Social Link established]**

(Nekomaru bursts through the airport doors, carrying Sonia)

 **Nekomaru:** I'm here!

 **Sonia:** (riding piggyback on Nekomaru) I'm also here!

 **Hajime:** Yikes!

 **Ibuki:** Help us and you get to liprape the princess!

 **Sonia:** Wait, what?

 **Kazuichi and Gundham:** YAH! (They both bone-rush Nekomaru carrying Sonia)

 **Ibuki:** Cheese it! (Runs out of airport and Hajime follows after her)

 **Hajime:** You didn't try to leave me behind this time, that was the joke.

 **Ibuki:** Yay! No people chasing us! (looks behind her)

 **Nekomaru and Sonia:** We're chasing you!

 **Kazuichi and Gundham:** We're going to kick your ass!

 **Ibuki:** Oh, no, more people chasing us!

 **Hajime:** Oh, no, dark-skinned girl going to punch me!

 **Akane:** Superman! (Aims a Flying Superman Punch at Hajime's face)

 **Ibuki:** Piccolo! (Pulls Hajime out of the way from Akane's Flying Superman Punch)

 **Akane:** The fu―

(Akane punches Nekomaru in the face and crashes down with everyone)

 **Hajime:** You saved me? But why?

 **Ibuki:** For character development.

(cut to Fuyuhiko and Peko at the beach)

 **Fuyuhiko:** Peko, go do something!

 **Peko:** Does being here with you count?

(Fuyuhiko blushes slightly)

 **Hajime:** _**SHIIIIIIT!**_

(Hajime and Ibuki runs past Fuyuhiko and Peko with everyone chasing them)

 **Peko:** I'm going to go chase those people. (Chase after Hajime, leaving Fuyuhiko alone at the bench as Sad Violin plays in the background. (Play 4 seconds of number 4 on that list here.)

(cuts to Mikan, Mahiru, Hiyoko, Byakuya, and Nagito at Jabberwock Park)

 **Mahiru:** Shipping you with Hajime!

 **Mikan:** No!

 **Mahiru:** Yes! (drags Mikan away from Jabberwock Park)

 **Byakuya:** I'm hungry.

 **Hiyoko:** I'm twelve.

 **Nagito:** I'm in love with hope.

(cuts to Hajime and Ibuki running across the bridge)

 **Hajime:** Cross this bridge!

 **Ibuki:** There's people in front of us! (points at Mahiru and Mikan standing on other side of bridge)

 **Hajime:** Move bitches! Get out the way!

(Mahiru and Mikan proceed to get out the way)

 **Ibuki:** Copyright!

 **Hajime:** I added an "e" and a "s" so it doesn't count.

 **Ibuki:** Tell that to Lutefisk's lawyers.

 **Hajime:** Not if we running into those people I won't.

 **Ibuki:** Wait, what?

(Hajime, Ibuki, and everyone chasing them runs into everyone else at Jabberwock Park. Cuts to Hajime floating in complete darkness.)

 **Hajime:** (thoughts) Damn. I didn't even get to see Chiaki in a swimsuit. I didn't even get laid! If only I had another chance, then I would motorboat the hell of out those breasts. Just like the one I'm groping in my hand right now. Wait a minute...

(Hajime return to reality where he's groping Ibuki's breast)

 **Hajime:** Oh... my... God.

 **Ibuki: (** nervously) Hiiii...

 **Hajime:** GAH! (pulls away from Ibuki)

 **Ibuki:** Y-know, you gotta ask a girl out to dinner first before you grab at her chest.

 **Hajime:** Did I get laid?

 **Ibuki:** Probably. Where's Sonia-chan?

 **Hajime:** She's right over... there... (eyes Ibuki suspiciously)

 **Ibuki:** What? I don't know if I'm up for Round 2.

 **Hajime:** Did you know that princess at the supermarket?

 **Ibuki:** Yes.

(Shocks shows on Hajime's face as dramatic music is played. (Play number 1 on the list again))

 **Hajime:** You... bitch.

 **Monokuma:** BAH! (Monokuma appears)

 **Hajime:** GAH! (notices Monokuma) Who are you?

 **Monokuma:** My name's Monokuma. An adorable bear, a despair lover, and the wrecker of your shit!

 **Hajime:** Ibuki, run!

 **Ibuki:** But why?

 **Hajime:** For character development!

 **Ibuki:** Your sacrifice will not be in vain! (runs away from Jabberwock Park)

 **Hajime:** (thoughts)Future running gag!

 **Monokuma:** Despair! (Monokuma brandishes claws at Hajime)

(The most recent Mortal Kombat Health and Super Meters are given to Hajime and Monokuma on their respective sides)

 **Recent Mortal Kombat Announcer:** Final Round... _Fight!_

(Peko suddenly appears behind Monokuma and sends it flying with her sword. Monokuma vanishes into the sky with a twinkle.)

 **Rental Mortal Kombat Announcer:** Peko wins. Fatality!

 **Hajime:** (confused)Um... What just happened?

 **Peko:** A flawless victory. (sheaths sword)

 **Hajime:** Figures. And who are you?

 **Peko:** I'm the gender-bended version of Yuu Narukami, but better.

 **Hajime:** I don't see how that's possible, considering that Johnny Young Bosch is his English voice actor.

 **Peko:** True. But compared to me and Yuu Narukami, everyone's know I'm the cutest.

 **Hajime:** ...I'm not going to argue with that.

 **Peko:** What was that?

 **Kazuichi:** (bursts out of everyone piled on top of him) Hajime!

 **Hajime:** What?!

 **Kazuichi:** Ferrari!

 **Hajime:** Maserati!

 **Kazuichi:** That's a good car!

 **Hajime:** It's the _best_ car!

(Both Kazuichi and Hajime fall flat on the ground)

 **Peko:** You'll see me next chapter.

 **[Peko Pekoyama Social Link established]**

 **Hajime:** Am now I'm the sleepy. Zzzzz...

(Cut to Future Foundation apartment complex where Yuuranga and Ryoga finds Makoto and Kyoko's state of dress compromised)

 **Makoto:** Why is your hair white?

 **Yuuranga:** Because I'm a walking copyright infringement! (pulls out phone) Have sex!

 **Makoto and Kyoko:** (bluntly) No.

 **Yuuranga:** Okay.

(Yuuranga reverts back to Yuu)

 **Yuu:** Where am I?

 **Ryoga:** In trouble. You blew up a hallway.

 **Yuu:** WHY?!

 **Ryoga:** For plot.

 **Yuu:** Dammit!

 **Ryoga:** Now on with the plot-advancing dialogue that may or may not be relevant.

 **Yuu:** Fuck!

(cut to Ryoga talking to Makoto and Kyoko after Yuu leaves the room)

 **Ryoga:** So what did we know?

 **Kyoko:** Absolutely nothing.

 **Makoto:** I know something... but I can't tell you.

 **Ryoga:** That doesn't make any sense.

 **Makoto:** But it'll make sense later on.

 **Ryoga:** You know what? Fuck this. I'm gonna go check the security cameras. Put some clothes on and don't fuck each other until I get back. (leaves the room)

 **Makoto:** Do you think he'll find something?

 **Kyoko:** We'll have our answer next chapter. (cuts to Junko under Makoto's bed)

 **Junko:** (thoughts) My nipples are freezing under hear and I'm still alive. Or am I?

(Suspense music plays. (Play number 5 on that list here))

(cut to Yuu having a strange dream the reader should've read at the end of Chapter 1 Part 3)

 **Yuu:** (Waking up) Foreshadowing!

 **[Chapter 1 Ends. Nobody died... yet.]**

...

A/N: And I'm finished. Now's there's nothing to get in the way of starting Chapter 2 of this story. If you managed to reach the end of that abridged recap of Chapter 1; congratulations! You may or may have not laughed your head off and I can proudly say that I brought you guys and gals back up to speed. As a reward, here's those hints that I promised you, introduced in the form of quotes. You may call these... "future quotes" if you like.

As for who says what and when does it happen, you'll have to form your own theories and whatnot. Until that person says that particular phrase in Chapter 2, you'll have no idea whose who's. Of course, I don't need to state the obvious when I say that each character will have one quote and not all of these will be reveal in a single part of a chapter.

There may be some quotes that you're already familiar with and have seen or heard... somewhere else, but once you read them, you'll realize that Monokuma on Jabberwock Island and Junko roaming around the Future Foundation's 14th Branch is only the beginning.

Enjoy!

...

Coming up on Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip...

" _WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS, RYOGA?!"_

" _Are you sure you don't know anything about who attacked you?"_

" _You bastard! I knew you were tryin' to steal Ibuki!"_

' _Your sacrifice will not be in vain! I shall have my disciples erect a statue in your honor once my empire had been established!"_

" _U-Um... Do you h-have a moment? I-I just want to e-examine you..."_

" _Hey, you guys! I got the volleyball! But for some reason, it's black and white and squirmin' a lot."_

" _He may be unreliable, but he doesn't seem like a bad guy. Just go talk to him."_

" _Sorry. I'm kind of new here. I just recently joined this division."_

" _If you're done squawking like chickens, I believe our teacher has something to tell us."_

" _Where's my pink sprinkles?"_

" _I not high, dudes! I may have sold the stuff once... or twice... or three times... but I don't smokes it!"_

" _I can't teach what can't be taught. You're either born a warrior or not, and you haven't the slightest combat ability in the slightest."_

" _By the time your training is complete, you'll no longer be Hajime Hinata! You'll be a man among men whose strength will rival even the gods! You will be... INVINCIBLEEEE!"_

" _She asked to join this specific division and the old man already gave the OK."_

" _Hajimmmmmme~!"_

" _Emergency! Emergency! All students report to Jabberwock Park immediately!"_

" _Aren't you the bastard who ran past the beach yesterday?"_

" _You look like a pedo-pervert, but you sound like a wise man. You might be a good servant."_

" _For the men, we have pancakes, sausage, eggs and bacon. A balanced breakfast for balanced a lifestyle... In more ways than one..."_

" _I would love to taste your morning sausage! But is that not fair to everyone else that they don't get the first bite?"_

" _I wonder what kind of hope we can make together!"_

" _What does that has to do with anything?! This isn't a game!_

" _Ah, but it_ is _a game, my despairingly, cute Naegi-kun~! It's my new Super Ultra Mega Despairing Killing Game of the Future! Featuring yours truly, and poor, plain, hopeful, lonely you!"_

" _Upupupupupu... the sand is going to be painted red on this hope-filled day!"_

" _Once you've seen this place, your fate is already hanging in the balance. You'll return to this place every night until your fate has ultimately been decided."_

" _Was that... a promonition?..."_

" _Not having a talent doesn't mean that you're not special."_

 _..._

" _Pleasant dreams."_

 _..._

Did that get your brain working? Well, I'll just leave you guys and gals wondering with those little tibbits of information until Chapter 2 begins.

If you're having trouble figuring out who said what in the quotes, don't be afraid to ask me or anyone else. If you ask me, however, I'll make a game out of it and point you in the right direction. It'll be fun, I promise.

Personally, it shouldn't be _too_ hard to figure out those quotes if you're familiar with the Danganronpa cast and the two OCs in this story. if by some chance, you think that you're struggling putting two and two together; don't think that. You're not the only one.

Please leave a review if you wish. Comments and criticism are also welcomed. If you guys and gals like this abridged recap of Chapter 1, let me know and I'll make this a regular thing after a chapter is done. Chapter 2 is on the way and this Mellow Dias can't wait to show what he has in store for you all!

...

Including that +100,000-word monster of a story that I have to... 'mellow out'.

Until Chapter 2, everyone!


	6. Chapter 2: Despair Lurking Part 1

A/N: Unfortunately, the second chapter of Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip was delayed due to the technical issues with the author's computer.

This Mellow Dias would like to apologize for the two month wait that you awesome readers had to endure and promises to release new chapters once they make their new work schedule their bitch within a week.

Maybe.

Probably not.

Embrace despair. (Thumbs up if you get the reference.)

...

A/N #2: Hello everyone, and welcome to the real author's note and start of Chapter 2 for Dangan Island: TUST (short for The Ultimate Survival Trip)! It's been too long, and I mean TOO long since I've update this story and damn it feel good! I've being meaning to post this a month after that abridged recap of the events of Chapter 1 (that no one probably read), but as some of you may already know; this Mellow Dias isn't the most active member of at times. Why, you ask? Well; two reasons, actually:

1) My computer decided to go tsundere on me. All my work along with this chapter was on it and I was NOT going to start over again. So, me and my laptop sat on the couch and had ourselves a little heart-to-heart. In the end, I did a complete overhaul on my computer and now everything's running smoothly again. I guess those two years of technical experience paid off, after all.

2) My files were corrupted. This happened right before my laptop went, "Baka!" and gave up on me. It took me at least a week to get everything back to normal and when I found out that I had to rewrite this chapter, I was pissed. Of course, my other work suffered the same fate but those were recently transferred files from my flash drive. I still have my original files; don't you guys and gals worry. This Mellow Dias didn't lose anything important...

Except for Chapter 2 of this story that I had to rewrite. =(

But everything's okay, and I've managed to make a game plan. Usually when I don't update this story for months, I upload a chapter ranging from 20-40K words. However, because of those reasons above, I ultimately had to split the beginning of Chapter 2 into two parts. You'll know the cut off in the chapter when you see it, that's all I can tell you. It sucks; I know. But to me, it's better than leaving you all hanging for another week or two.

Okay, now that the lengthy author's note out of the way, it's time to begin the long-awaited start of Chapter 2. And before you do, I thought I might give you gives a heads-up on a new character you'll see in this chapter. As for her information, it will be posted sometime later in my author's profile before midnight in my respective timezone (North America). If not, then you'll see it tomorrow. Just letting you all know that.

Honestly, it's a bit weird to be adding a new character to a story with two OC's that no one probably cares about. However, once I get into the nitty-gritty of the story where you guys start receiving important information about what the hell's going on; you'll thank me later. In fact, I might just make a certain fan base very happy. What could Mellow Dias be talking about? Hmm... =)

Until that day comes, you have me, along with the ever-growing Danganronpa fan base to please you.

And since this is the beginning for the new chapter, Makoto will be reading the disclaimer. There's only so many characters in Danganronpa so I don't know if I'll do this every time I post a chapter.

But this time, you guys and gals have our main man Makoto to read you all in. Take it away, Makoto!

 **Makoto:** Wait, wha―

Disclaimer: Um (*clears throat*)... The following is a fan-based story. Danganronpa is own by that trolling S.O.B. Kazutaka Kodaka and Spike Chunsoft. The author does not make any money from this. If he did, Makoto would be doing the One Punch Man workout regime― Wait, wha―

...

There aren't any exact dates of the events that happened in the Danganronpa timeline. So, you all will have settle with "days" and timestamps for now. That way, you guys don't get lost or can go back to previous chapters to find clues or whatnot. This is the first time I'm using this so don't go backtracking to Chapter 1. You won't find anything back there. =)

...

Dangan Island: The Ultimate Survival Trip

Chapter 2: Despair Lurking Part 1

...

 **Part 1**

 **Day 2 (A day after Junko Enoshima's reappearance)**

 **Time: 6: 52 A.M.**

 **Location: Future Foundation 14** **th** **Branch (Meeting Room)**

 **...**

Makoto Naegi sat patiently at the long table as his various co-workers conversed amongst themselves. Though the actual meeting hasn't begun, the room buzzed with lively chatter. Perhaps it had something to do with Ryoga's "special announcement" Hagakure told him about when they were walking to the meeting room together. Nevertheless, the lucky student couldn't help himself but smile as he waited the for this morning's meeting to start.

The minutes passed by rather quickly and the less than loud conversation that filled the room haven't wavered in the slightest. The various subjects of interests that mingled in the air were like music to Makoto's ears. It provided him a very meaningful distraction from his worries and at some times, information about the success of an operation and current events that occurred outside in the toxic environment that was their world. Makoto thought, on one level or another that he was doing something that would have been considered insufferably rude― even now in their post-apocalyptic world― become a part of his everyday behavior.

 _Maybe I should talk to people instead,_ Makoto thought. All his friends were here and it was 5 minutes before 7 A.M. Enough time to talk to someone before the meeting started.

Of course, no amount of conversation couldn't sway him from his problems.

Even after a peaceful night's sleep, Makoto still couldn't shake away the strange feeling of apprehension. Although relieved that his life or anyone else's weren't being threaten, the lucky student couldn't help but wonder what would be done to ensure that similar incidents like yesterday wouldn't happen again. An increase in security? A new method to track everyone's movements in and outside of the base?

Regardless of either option and others that threaten to surface in his mind, he should be happy that everything worked out in the end, right? He should be happy that there haven't been any injuries or casualties of any sort. He should be happy that himself and Kyoko were unharmed in the aftermath...

And of course, not dead before anyone could know what was going on.

Despite being attacked by the same person, both of were alive and healthy. From what the doctor had told them during their examination, Kyoko only had traces of an unknown drug in her system that was completely harmless and would have worked its way out of her system within a matter of hours.

The lucky student himself, however, wasn't completely unscathed.

The bruises on his ankles and wrists, and the numerous scratches on his thighs were properly treated and wrapped in bandages. The scars would disappear within a month or two, the doctor had told him and Makoto felt embarrassed walking around headquarters with his injuries exposed in the open like they were. Thankfully, those injuries were hidden under the confines of his uniform so he didn't have to feel too self-conscious about them.

Although he'd originally planned to avoid any contact with Kyoko until the awkwardness from yesterday's incident had passed, Makoto found himself glancing at the detective. She sat only a few seats apart from him on his right, but he could make out Kyoko's appearance from their distance. Her normally pale skin was... still pale as usual, and no indications of discomfort or tiredness were present on her features. But wasn't that how she'd normally looked? The doctor had already given her a clear bill of health, so he shouldn't worry about Kyoko's condition, right? Even so, it didn't hurt to double check and while he may not be a skilled medical professional himself, Kyoko seemed normal to him.

Even though he was alive and well, Makoto still felt terrible about withholding the truth from his friends. He didn't want to lie or cause them any trouble, it was still wrong; and not being about to come forward pained him nonetheless. Not that he didn't want to keep the real reason of his injuries a secret of course, but someone made confessing the truth quite difficult. A certain someone who practically pointed a loaded gun at his head everywhere he went.

Junko Enoshima.

The Mastermind behind the Tragedy, The School Life of Mutual Killing, and the True Ultimate Despair.

She had somehow survived her own execution, traversed through the desolate streets cause by the very events that she herself orchestrated, and found the Future Foundation's 14th Branch. She'd infiltrated this heavily guarded building, pass the security guards and cameras, knocked Kyoko unconscious, and snuck into his room...

All so she could kill him.

The threat from his former captor brought back memories of his time at Hope Peak's Academy, the former school that was his prison and the final resting place of his fallen friends. Inside that hell, murders were committed by those very friends who had succumbed to despair. At the time, Makoto was unware that the murders of complete strangers were cherished friends who he'd formed meaningful bonds with over the years.

Of course, none of them (except Junko and her sister) didn't knew that because Mastermind (Junko) had erased their memories prior to the start of that twisted game. None of them wouldn't have known that they'd be sacrificing the lives of their friends if they'd chosen to become the blackened and successfully deceived everyone else, or the horrors that awaited them on the outside world. And with every murder of one of their friends, the Class Trial to find the culprit, and the gruesome execution that followed its conclusion, reminded him how powerless he truly was back then. Just the thought of it all made Makoto shudder.

But now, despite surviving that hell and defeating Junko, the lucky student kept asking himself the same question about the person who appeared on his bed just a day ago:

How was she still alive?

Her sudden appearance surprised him, and admittedly, it was terrifying. Junko was responsible for killing millions of people and ten of his friends, one of those very deaths being her own elder sister. In the end, reveling in the very despair she wanted to spread throughout the world, Junko had chosen to take her own life.

But it did happen. He watched her delightfully pressed the button with despair-filled eyes and endured every stage of that incredibly elaborate and nonsensical execution. The various expressions of pleasure, calmness, and boredom she shown throughout the execution were just as confusing as she was repeatedly shot, spun around, crushed, pummeled, sent to space, and ultimately flatten by everything that was the Ultimate Punishment. In the end, even as the conveyor belt carried Junko to her death, the maniacal smile plastered on her face never wavered in the slightest...

At least, until the compactor suddenly stopped and crushed her in her confusion.

To think, he'd be subjected to that very same execution if even one of his friends had sided with despair during the Final Class Trial. Makoto may have held the title of Ultimate Lucky Student, but even he knew that no amount of luck would have saved him from all that unimaginable pain.

But now, after seeing Junko alive and not crushed into a bloody mess by a trash compactor, Makoto wondered whether her execution had happened. Really; what human being could survive being shot repeatedly by baseballs, spun around in an electrified death cage, having a firetruck dropped on top of them, having their back relentlessly pounded (mechaphilia anyone?) by an excavator, sent to space, and― for the coup de grace, crushed by a _freaking_ trash compactor?! Why, he'd had to be in a video game for any of that to happen. At least that way, the sheer ridiculousness of it all would begin to make any logical sense.

Of course, Makoto knew that he couldn't be so hypocritical. After all, he himself narrowly escaped getting crushed by a trash compactor. Not only that, he also plummeted several feet below the school and landed in the basement _right-side up_ without any injuries. And if not for Kyoko coming to rescue him from that place, he would have most likely starved to death. His miraculous luck could have contributed to both of those things, but he would always be thankful to Kyoko and Alter Ego for saving his life. Indeed, Makoto would never forget the things that his friends have done for him, and the others who'd welcomed him back in open arms and fought alongside him against despair.

And he'll never forget the person behind it all.

Makoto had considered his "reunion" with the seemingly undead supermodel a hallucination, a very realistic and painful one created from the depths of his mind. However, the proof of her existence was marked on all over his body. The scars burned like fire and the faint taste of her lips nearly made him vomit whenever he thought about her. Applying an extra set of bandages and gurgling half a bottle of mouthwash provide to be utterly useless.

Although the lucky student couldn't deny the pain and disgust he felt, he still wondered about his encounter with Junko. Himself and Kyoko were alive, the latter being the more fortunate of them, and Makoto was happy about the outcome. But considering the person behind it all, that was beyond mysterious.

Junko was the kind of person that would do anything for despair, even if it meant killing her loved ones or millions of innocent people. Even rules, like the ones he and his friends were forced to abide during the School Life of Mutual Killing, couldn't hold her back. Why; she even attempted to claim his life, even going so far to disobey the very rules that she (posing as Monokuma), the Mastermind; had created herself. Yesterday's encounter would be the second-time Junko broke into his room to commit murder.

Or would it?

Did Junko wanted to kill him?

Makoto liked to consider himself lucky at times. He had life-changing opportunities drop right in front of him almost at every turn, and experienced too many close calls with death and surviving them all that were downright ridiculous. Junko had both him and Kyoko in a position where they were unable to do anything. She had rendered the latter unconscious and had done the same to him when during the... torture. So then why didn't she kill them? She took the time to set up that barricade and duplicate Kyoko's experiment, but none of that didn't make the slightest sense to him. Junko had a perfect opportunity to kill both him and Kyoko back then. So why didn't she do it? Why create that elaborate setup and not follow through with the murder like she'd promised?

Why did she let them live?

Could it have been the explosion caused by "Yuuranga" that stopped her? Or maybe...

Makoto shook his head. There were a lot of questions he had that would most likely remain unanswered. Too much on his mind to worry about in the morning, with so little time to even think clearly.

His eyes wandered to the traditional wall clock that hung up high behind Hagakure, who was loudly conversing with Asahina ("But green sprinkles are better than pink!", he had told her). One minute before 7 A.M, the hands of the clock had told him; one minute until their morning meeting began. Makoto had wanted to talk to someone to pass the time, but with the few seconds he had, there was little point in doing so now.

Ironically, the four minutes he'd spent contemplating about what had happened just a day ago made time pass that much quicker. To think, the very events he'd tried to not think about would serve as a temporary distraction for time. Tengan must have been right when he jokingly recommended him for being the leader of this division.

Speaking of which, the leader of said division had walked through the door. Some of Makoto's co-workers noticed his entrance, but kept conversing with one another, as if he hadn't appeared at all. Ryoga took a seat in the center of the long table, a stern expression on his face and what looked like a... Pocky Stick hanging out from between his lips like a cigarette.

Makoto blinked his eyes and figured it must have been an illusion created from a lack of sleep when the Pocky Stick suddenly, and gradually became shorter until the last of it disappeared into Ryoga's mouth. It must have not influenced his appetite however, because the taller man immediately pulled out another one of those chocolate-covered snacks and... tried to light up the opposite end with a lighter. It was the first Makoto had seen Ryoga did something similar with anything besides a cigarette, but he thought nothing of it.

Everyone else seemed to be preoccupied with their own clichés and affairs, but that was an everyday morning in the Future Foundation's 14th Division. It was one of the many things Makoto liked about days like these; a comfortable, lively, peaceful environment with people talking with one another, enjoying their lives despite all the chaos outside. None of them couldn't be properly reunited with their families or relax in the sunlight without being in fear of getting killed, but that didn't stop anyone from living the best they could. Despite the erratic work schedule and the conditions outside, everyone was alive and happy― and to Makoto, that was all that mattered.

If only those peaceful thoughts could've taken his mind off what happened yesterday.

...

 **Part 2**

 **Day 2 (A day after Junko Enoshima's reappearance)**

 **Time: 7: 00 A.M.**

 **Location: Future Foundation 14** **th** **Branch (Meeting Room)**

"Alright! Shut the fuck up, everyone. Today's meeting is about to begin, and we have a lot of things to go over, so the sooner you guys settle down; the better."

In less than a second, all the conversation ceased and everyone's attention shifted to Ryoga. Not only by their leader speaking and them being respectfully silence but also the abrasive tone he'd spoken with. Makoto knew that Ryoga wasn't the kindest person in the world, but his words still shocked him. Besides a co-worker being wounded from a mission or a transmission from the higher-ups, this would the first Makoto had heard Ryoga spoke in such a manner.

"Now I know that some of you are complaining about why I set our designated meeting time back an hour earlier. Believe me; I'm angry too, but I'm not going to leave you all in the dark about important information, no matter how bad I want to smoke a pack of cigarette right now. So, I'm going to brief you guys as fast as I can so we can all get on with our mornings," Ryoga harshly informed, taking a huge bite out of his burning Pocky Stick.

Confused murmurs began to fill the meeting room, most of them being about their leader's attitude. Indeed, Makoto had grown accustomed to such behavior, a skill he'd acquired while being held captive in Hope Peak's Academy. However, he also knew arguments could start because of such behavior, and fighting one another was NOT something Future Foundation members should do. Not when the world depends on the organization.

However, before the lucky student could intervene, he heard a small voice whispered his name beside him. A very familiar voice, which belong to a certain someone he'd hopefully wanted to avoid for a few more days. As if his head was on auto-pilot, Makoto turned towards its' source.

And as he expected, there was Kyoko, staring directly at him two seats from his right. Her face was its' usual stoic nature, but within those emotionless pools of amethyst carried a hint of emotion he'd vaguely recognized from their time alone.

"Don't do anything rash," he imagined her saying, and Makoto knew in that moment his actions were just that and would have been meaningless. All the adrenaline he'd built up vanished in an instant and he turned to Kyoko with a worried look. Again, the detective's eyes spoke to him, giving her a reassuring gaze that said, "It will be fine" before turning back to their frustrated leader, who looked fed up with all the commotion.

"Quiet!" Ryoga's sharp voice overcame everyone and the room immediately went silence again. Without missing a beat, he continued. "Unless it's a question, I do not want any more interruptions. If you don't like the way I'm speaking to you all; I'm sorry. There's some important stuff we _have_ to go over and you all need to be on your shit today."

Ryoga tossed the empty box of Pocky Sticks in a nearby trashcan, never taking his eyes off from everyone. He was already reaching into his coat pocket for another box of the candy and Makoto wondered, in a part of his mind that wasn't startled by Ryoga's actions on whether he'd smoked before the meeting.

"If you don't wanna be here, that's fine. You can get out of your seat and walk out that door― Makes no difference to me. Everyone else will know about the intruder that's inside the building while the rest of your sorry asses are stuck on guard du―!"

"Whoa, hold on!" Hina abruptly shouted. "There's an intruder here?!"

"What did I just say?" Ryoga said menacingly, narrowing his eyes at the girl.

Hina nearly jumped out of her seat in fear of the taller man's glare. "I-I'm sorry, but shouldn't catching this guy be a top priority?"

Although she had brought up a valid point, everyone immediately focused their attention on her, as if she had committed some horrible crime. Their eyes reminded Makoto of the very ones his friends had during a Class Trial, but their gazes didn't seem to affect Hina entirely.

"I know that we haven't been here very long, but shouldn't we have a lockdown or something?" she asked carefully. "That way, we'll catch the intruder and this will be over and done with."

Their reaction to the swimmer's proposal wasn't immediate, but a few Future Foundation agents began expressing words of praise, some even nodding in agreement. Hiro was the most enthusiastic amongst them all, shouting a "Nice one, Hina-chi!", sporting a thumbs-up and an ear-to-ear smile, much to the swimmer's embarrassment. Even Makoto found himself agreeing with Hina and soon, the entire room was overflowing with conversation once more. He felt relieved for the first time this morning, knowing that Junko will be caught and that no one doesn't have to―

"That's not going to work."

Upon hearing those stern words from Ryoga, all the apprehension Makoto had felt returned tenfold. His heart pounded furiously in his chest and despite issuing commands for it to steady itself, it wouldn't respond. He was thankfully that everyone had their full attention on their leader, Asahina already beginning to protest his decision.

"Why not? The intruder could hurt us... Or worse!" Hina explained. "I don't know if I can sleep at night knowing that someone like that is in here with me."

"Hina's right, Ryugs," Hiro surprisingly concurred, his head hung low. "Even one person alone can cause a lot of problems. Trust us... We would know."

Makoto didn't need to be think too deeply to know what his friend was implying. It seems that not even Hiro, the most laidback person in the 14th division, couldn't forget the School Life of Mutual Killing. He'd tried his hardest not to reminisce about those past events himself, but he wasn't going to blame Hiro for inadvertently bring them up. After all, Hiro wouldn't be... _Hiro_ if he didn't.

Ryoga let out a frustrated sigh, then turned his attention towards Hina. "Like I said, that's not going to work. I understand that catching this intruder is our top priority, but there's a reason that a lock-down wouldn't work."

"And what reason is that?" Hina demanded, asking the question that was on everyone's minds.

"Consider this..." Ryoga began, lighting up a new Pocky Stick. "Say if we do commence a lockdown because we had an intruder, what would be the first thing that'll happen?"

The question caught Hina off-guard for a moment. However, she didn't back down from the division leader as she valiantly gave him her answer. "Well, obviously, everyone will try to find a hiding place. What's wrong with that?"

"A lot of things, actually," Ryoga responded with a harsh tone, as if he'd anticipated the response. He took a bite of out of his Pocky Stick and fixed the swimmer with a level stare. "Now let me ask you this; if everyone decided to go off on their own to... 'find a hiding place', what would that cause?"

"Self-preservation?" Hiro asked hopefully.

"Confusion..." Ryoga answered, sounding disappointed while shaking his head in a similar manner. "Confusion was the answer I wanted to hear. Self-preservation by itself can also factor into that, that much is true. However, both of those things together can cause more problems that we can solve."

"I... don't understand." Hina said, genuinely confused.

Makoto must have thought Hina had said something wrong when their division leader glared at her, as if she had uttered something forbidden.

"If you must know; confusion causes panic, and that panic can lead to a lot of people getting hurt. Or worse. But more importantly..."

Ryoga paused, taking a long drag from his Pocky Stick. The other end flared brightly before it crackled and quickly disintegrated into nothingness, the stick growing shorter as it did. Everyone could only stare in shock as the burnt end of the Pocky Stick drew dangerously closer to his lips, even the usually stoic Kyoko watched intently in silence. The Pocky Stick grew shorter by the second, but before the flame could reach his lips, Ryoga held the unburnt part between his index and middle fingers...

And exhaled a stream of white smoke.

"It'll give our intruder an advantage," he finished.

"An advantage?" Hina asked, sounding more confused despite the event that just unfolded before her eyes. "What does that have to do with the intruder?"

Ryoga slurped on his "used" Pocky Stick and it disappeared into his mouth. He didn't chew or swallowed when he did. "When the alarms go off and our guys on security are giving the "This is Not a Drill" speech, everyone _is_ going to run and hide. What do you think our intruder is going to do when that happens?"

The question itself was simple, but Hina looked as if she Ryoga had asked her to multiply infinity times infinity (Not that there was an answer anyways). However, before she could respond, Hiro had already answered, "Run and hide, too?"

"Exactly," Ryoga agreed, slightly taken aback by the person who answered. "Huh. Despite looking like you'd fit the 'weedman' stereotype, you're smarter than you look."

"I don't smokes weed, Ryugs!" Hiro instantly protested. "I may have sold the stuff in the past, but I always follow a golden rule: Never get high on your own supply."

As everyone else turned to Hiro with skeptical looks in their eyes, Makoto couldn't help but feel a bit doubtful about his friend's revelation. Didn't Junko say that he was smoking weed when she had appeared in his room yesterday? While she had remained... somewhat trustworthy during their imprisonment at Hope's Peak Academy, he couldn't entirely take everything that crazy woman said as fact. Firstly, Junko's new "mind-reading" ability could possibly be an exaggeration of her own intelligence, and her recent threat to kill him and possibly harm his friends could be a pretense to mislead him from her true objective, whatever that may be.

However, despite all those things, Makoto knew that Junko would follow through with her promises. Her sadistic streak and manipulative personality knew no bounds, and should he even tell anyone that madwoman was roaming around into this branch, the consequences of his actions will follow. And when they did, he would have only himself to blame should any harm befalls anyone, and his powerlessness to prevent it would serve as a permanent remainder.

But even so...

"Hold on, Hiro."

Makoto called out to his friend and his attention, along with surprised and curious gazes of everyone all fixated on him. He'd almost forgotten the reason for the intervention until said reason stared at him in the face with a pleading expression.

"What is it, Naegs?" Hiro asked, relieved that he wasn't everyone's focus right now. "You wanna fact-check for me? 'Cause I really need someone to prove my innocence..."

"Well, something like that," Makoto solemnly admitted. Everyone's raised an eyebrow at this. "On the day that the intruder got in here, you weren't... smoking, were you?"

"Hecks' no!" Hiro shouted, his face bright red in frustration. "Okay, maybe I smoked once... but that was during high-school! I was going through bad times and I needed something to calm my nerves!"

"But you don't smoke _now_ , right?" Makoto carefully asked.

"No!"

"And are you sure you're not high _now_?" Ryoga inquired with a skeptical gaze.

"I'm not high, dudes!" Hiro shouted, making the people seated on either side scoot several inches away from him. "I may have sold the stuff once..." Everyone glared at him. "Or twice..." Their eyes narrowed. "Or three times..." The air in the room suddenly grew dense. "But I don't smokes it! Not anymore!"

"And that's the whole truth?" Ryoga questioned.

"Nothin' but the truth!" Hiro insisted, bowing his head and clasping his hands together desperately, as if begging for forgiveness. "Please you gotta believe me!

"I-I dobelieve you," Makoto reassured, feeling like he accused his friend of being a criminal for some reason. "I just wanted to make sure I've heard all of the facts first so we don't make any assumptions."

At those words, all the fear faded from Hiro's features like magic and was replaced with a cheerful expression and the largest, toothy, cartoonish grin Makoto had ever seen so far in his life.

"Really?!" he said excitedly. "Oh thanks, Naegs! You're a good friend! When it comes to telling the truth, I can always trust you to be honest!"

Makoto's chest felt as if it were being crushed when his ears had registered the proclamation. Trust and honesty... he had violated those things not once, but twice just now. What he hadn't done― should have done― yesterday would serve as a testament to his actions. And being in the same room with the very people he was supposed to put his trust in made him feel that much guiltier.

But as much as it disheartened him, Makoto felt a surge of hope well from within him. It seemed that Junko's declaration of knowing his friends' whereabouts weren't entirely accurate. Perhaps that horrifically-new persona she'd unveiled was a facade within itself to feign her own ignorance.

Regardless, her reasoning for doing the things she had done so far were irrelevant to him now. Makoto had an opportunity to admit the truth and stop Junko from hurting his friends, people that he cared about, people that he could _always_ trust and be honest with.

He should tell them everything. From her mysterious reappearance, how she'd threaten him to secure his silence, and the... torture he'd endured. He should―

" _Don't tell anyone what happened here..."_

...

Of course, he wouldn't tell them _everything_. There were some parts that need to be omitted for the sake of embarrassment, particularly the ones where Junko wore nothing but lingerie during the entire encounter. Then there was that kiss, which he didn't enjoy in the slightest (not that it was his intention), despite her good looks. Junko may be a supermodel, a very beautiful one who may have had a normal life if she _wasn't_ incredibly insane or didn't have a despair fetish, but still! Who would confess being subjected to any of those things and enjoy it?! That person must either be amazingly courageous or insane― perhaps even more so than Junko herself!

...

Unbeknownst to Makoto, Kyoko's observing eyes gazed at him from her seat.

...

 **Part 3**

 **Day 2 (A day after blowing shit up)**

 **Time: 7: 03 A.M.**

 **Location: Future Foundation 14** **th** **Branch (Restrooms)**

Yuu walked down the silent hallways of the building, feeling refreshed after a trip to the restroom. He had just inserted the earbuds attached to his cellphone into his ears and was about to make his way back to his post...

And suddenly stopped.

" _I feel like... I'm supposed to do something right now,"_ he thought to himself. _"Like it was really important, but for some reason I can't do it, as if there were some kind of omnipotent force preventing me for doing so."_

He shrugged nonchalantly. _"Oh well._ _I better get back to my post. Otherwise Mr. Chain-smoker's gonna die of asphyxiation when he decides to 'check up' on me. I almost can't believe I got off with watching the surveillance cameras as punishment. It's boring as hell, but it's better than guard duty, I guess..."_

Yuu smiled to himself, knowing how easy of a punishment he got despite the minor setbacks that came with it. He wouldn't be able fully concentrate on his own personal matters like he wanted, but at least the punishment itself isn't life-threatening. Not that standing in a hallway― or even worse, standing outside decked-out in tactical gear wouldn't be any better. Those Monokuma-helmeted bastards (Let's call them the Despair Army) who were brave, or rather foolish enough had a habit to attack an area secured by the Future Foundation. And every time they did, one or two agents would die and a dreadful report needed to be filed afterwards. Of course, all the Despair Army that attacked them would be dead and no one didn't harbor any feelings of compassion towards them. No skin off their backs, right?

In the end, bad news always awaited Future Foundation agents who were fortunate enough to return from a mission alive. Whether they broke down into tears or stubbornly denied the death of their friend or lover, Yuu knew all too well that there was no bringing back the dead. Contrarily, those agents who had lost their lives would still be here today if _he_ was the one giving orders. Ryoga was doing a shitty job of being this division's leader. Why; he practically sends people off to their deaths and puts the 'dick' in dictator during those morning meetings. Not that he ever attended those meetings (or never will at that matter), but he had heard lingering rumors about them around the headquarters and the reception... was not positively constructive.

" _Dammit. I need to stop thinking about stuff like this!"_ Yuu berated. " _I'm not attending one of those mandatory meetings, and no one gonna ride my nuts about it either... So, what do I care, right?"_

"He shouldn't," was the most logical answer Yuu could put together. He didn't care about the lives of others before, especially those who've taken the lives of innocents themselves. Whether they cried, begged for mercy or forgiveness, he ended them without hesitation. Even now, he could still hear them; the very people he'd killed, begging him to spare their lives.

But those were the pleads of a desperate person. And those people were already dead.

" _Yep, I_ really _need to stop thinking about this crap..."_

Drowning those unpleasant thoughts, Yuu finally began walking to his destination. Ryoga might have sent someone (or himself) to check up on him by now, and he was not in the mood to deal with anyone's shit now. Hopefully, Ryoga would be too caught up in the morning meeting to do such a thing and that gave him some reassurance.

But as Yuu swiped his finger across the screen, pressed the "Play" button, and letting the god-like sounds of his favorite heavy metal invade his ears, he couldn't help but wonder what was going in today's meeting. Ryoga had been oddly persistent about him not going _near_ the meeting room when he informed him of his punishment. Hell, he even went as far to include the "UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES" part in his sentence. With Ryoga putting that much emphasis on his warning, it made him even more curious as to what the meeting's subject was about.

Yuu had planned to go back to his boring-ass punishment and stay there as Ryoga instructed. Now, he wanted to make a detour to see what was up in today's meeting. Yuu was torn between the two options. Follow orders, or broke them. Be an obedient agent, or a rebel? Law, or Chaos? The Light side, or the Dark side? Oreos or Chips Ahoy?

"Dammit! What am I gonna to do?" Yuu said, slapping a palm to his forehead. It was ridiculous to debate over simple stuff, but dammit he was bored and he needed some new shit to do!

Shaking his head furiously, Yuu carefully laid out the options in his head. If he chose to go to the meeting room, he could probably figure out why Ryoga didn't want him around for today's meeting. Additionally, he might piss Ryoga off so even if he doesn't get any answers there, he'll find some fun humiliating him with a joke or two before leaving. It'll be as if he'd killed two birds with one stone, except he wouldn't! Nevertheless, the outcome of this option would be... somewhat entertaining in the least.

On the other hand, there was always being the obedient and sacrificial Future Foundation agent that the higher-ups (and probably Ryoga) expected of him and return to his punishment. Yuu never considered himself to be the type to bend-over backwards for anyone, but in this case, following orders may grant him some form of excitement. He could talk to Alter-Ego about, well... anything that wasn't work-related. He (?)... She (?) seemed rather interested in talking to him about the Neo World Program for some reason. Perhaps talking to an artificial intelligence wouldn't be so boring...

Or at least, until he saw a couple on camera go into the bathrooms again. Yuu couldn't wait to grill the unfortunate couple with all the sex jokes he had prepared. The thought of such an event occurring made him smile in anticipation. He could almost―

Suddenly, Yuu felt a wave of dizziness came over him.

It wasn't terribly painful, but the sensation coursed throughout his entire body and it was enough to make Yuu falls to his knees. For a moment, all the air left his lungs and his vision flashed hazy white. He closed his eyes and took deep breathes, all sound drowned out by his heart pounding loudly over his eardrums. Within moments, Yuu slowly regained control of his breathing and his vision could perceive color again.

Besides being bored watching the surveillance cameras, this was another problem Yuu currently face. Ever since he'd awoken this morning, he'd experienced these stinging headaches throughout his day. They weren't anything like the ones he'd usually have after the late nights of writing, but at least with _those_ headaches they were bearable. He'd never bitched or moaned about a headache before, and he sure as hell wasn't going to do so today. At least with this pain, it was preferable than getting shot... or stabbed... or kicked fifty feet off a ledge to his death.

" _Damn. Even when you say you're not gonna think about the past, you still do,"_ Yuu thought in self-defeat. _"Maybe I'm growin' soft..."_

Rising to his feet, Yuu began to walk away from the restrooms. However, before he could take a step further, he stopped again. It had token him less than two seconds for the reason to come into his mind...

Where did he wanted to go again?

...

"Meh. I wanna fuck up Ryoga's meeting just for fun."

With his destination set, Yuu proceeded to make his way there, almost skipping down the hallway to the rhythm of his music as he did.

" _Riiiiight, signal turn! Gas in the engine! A gallon for twoooo-niiiiinety three!"_

As Yuu sang surprisingly on-key with the lyrics, his thoughts brought him back to Ryoga's warning. He knew he'd told him to stay away from the meeting room for today, but he never bothered to explain his reasoning...

And just when Yuu was about to round the corner, he collided into something.

The impact was so sudden that he didn't have time to regain his balance and fell flat on his ass, his phone flying out of his coat pocket with him and detaching itself from the headphones. The device hit the floor with a distinct crack, it's back cover popping off along with the battery, both sliding smoothly across the floor like hockey pocks.

Yuu grunted in pain as he tried to get back on his feet. What the hell did he just bump into? A security guard? The intruder? Or someone else entirely? Whoever it was, they best be prepared to apologize like he was, or else he was going to put his size ten shoe up their a―

Before Yuu could get off the cold floor and on his feet, he froze.

He did indeed bump into someone. But he didn't expect that person to be...

A girl.

 **...**

 **Part 4**

 **Day 2 (A day after blowing shit up)**

 **Time: 7: 03 A.M.**

 **Location: Future Foundation 14** **th** **Branch (Hallways)**

Laying inches away from him, prompted up on a shoulder, and rubbing their forehead... was a girl.

And a very cute one, no less.

Short black hair as dark as the night sky, with neatly trimmed bangs that perfectly framed the girl's cute face. Her fair skin shone in the dim lighting like glass, and her soft blue eyes carried a heartwarming kindness that would've melted the coldest of hearts. The woman's endowed frame and ample bosom were both captivating, a combination that further emphasized her stunning beauty.

Yuu's jaw dropped at the sight.

He supposed he must've hit his head when he fell, so he blinked his eyes to confirm whether this girl was an illusion or a very realistic wet dream conjured from his mind.

...

She was still there. Perhaps inflicting self-harm on himself would do the trick.

Yuu proceeded to pinch both of his cheeks and pulled hard, stretching them as far as the laws of biology would let him. He released them after a few moments had passed.

...

Same result.

Yes, this girl was real; Yuu could no longer doubt what his mind has perceived. Not only that, it also perceived that both his ass _and_ cheeks hurt like hell.

And this girl― No! ― This _woman_... couldn't be more at fault for it all.

Yuu had seen many beautiful women throughout his life; on magazines, pornographic magazines (which he'd read with some friends out of curiosity), and television shows. He appreciated the beauty of the opposite sex just like any other guy, and although this woman in front of him was nothing like the ones he'd seen in social media, Yuu could only describe her in one word...

"...Beautiful."

"Huh?!" Was the first thing that came out of the woman's mouth at the sudden attention. Her eyes were wide in shock and her cheeks rosy red.

"Huh?" Yuu repeated, not sure how to respond. His mouth suddenly moved on its own, and he didn't realize what the hell he was saying. Yuu felt his cheeks burn and in that moment, he knew they were not from stretching his cheeks earlier.

His embarrassment must've been obvious because the woman, (who Yuu would refer to as Ms. Bombshell until she revealed her actual name herself), swiftly averted her gaze, as if rejecting his very existence. Yuu cursed under his breath for the mistake had made. He didn't mean to gawk at her like some pervert.

Even so, Yuu knew he had to reassure this woman somehow.

"O-Oh! I-I'm sorry!" he said abruptly, feeling like a jackass for screwing up his apology. "I didn't mean to stare at you! I mean, bump into you! I mean, uh, I'm sorry about the first part..."

Yuu noticed the perplexed look that Ms. Bombshell was now giving him, and panic instantly rose from within him.

"Not that you're ugly or anything! You... You're very cute and uh, I bumped into you by accident because of your sexiness― I mean _cuteness_! It was your cuteness that made me bump into you! Dammit! I mean it was my fault! Not because you're pretty, I mean cute!― no, sexy! No! I didn't mean to say, uh..."

Gritting his teeth, Yuu stood to his feet faster than Ms. Bombshell's surprised look could show with clenched fists, his face feeling as if it was on fire.

"Look! I just wanna' say, I'm sorry for bumpin' into you and shit, okay!" he furiously shouted.

Then suddenly, Yuu straightened, both his arms flat on either side and legs in perfect alignment, a posture that would have impressed the Ultimate Moral Compass. Bowing at an angle, Yuu said the only words in his mind that would probably grant him forgiveness of his wrongdoing, or make him look like more of an idiot than he was already:

"PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, FORGIVE ME!"

His heartfelt apology echoed throughout the silent hallway, and Yuu was fortunate that no one haven't been around when he's said it. This would be the umpteenth time in his life he'd acted like a such a candy-ass in front of a girl, a moment he'd thought wouldn't ever happen again.

Without a doubt, Yuu knew this was the most embarrassing moment in his life so far. And the fact that he'd practically humiliated himself in front of a woman― a smoky hot one― only made the creeping urge to run away like a pussy that much more tempting. Yuu squeezed his eyes shut, desperately wanting to disappear from the hallway.

Then he heard chuckling.

The moment Yuu heard it, all his remaining confidence flew out at the window as well as any chance of redeeming himself. His heart felt like a time bomb counting down on the embarrassment and other negative emotions he'd felt, and the longer he'd stood bowing down like a jackass, the faster it ticked. This woman was obviously laughing at the fool he'd made of himself, and running away from her with whatever dignity he had left seemed to be Yuu's only option. One which he was about to quickly act upon.

" _I guess this is what I get for trying to be civil about it,"_ Yuu thought ruefully. " _I better get the hell outta here before I embarrass myself even further. I'll be able to put this encounter behind me as soon as I get to that meeting_ _―"_

"Okay, I forgive you."

Yuu's thoughts were cut short by Ms. Bombshell's voice and prevented any others from forming. Slowly, he lifted his head to see said woman staring at him with kind eyes and...

A smile.

It wasn't anything like the ones of disgust and disapproval that he'd grown accustomed to during his years in high school. No, this smile was genuine; compassionate and caring without a single hint of negative emotion. Yuu thought, in a small part of his mind, that this woman was simply hiding her true nature behind an impressive mask or just simply showing sincere kindness. However, he couldn't deny the feelings that it conveyed; not when there's was a great swelling inside his chest that threaten to burst from within.

Besides his own mother, Yuu had seen that smile several times in his life, all from women that he'd cared for deeply and tried his hardest to forget. But now, seeing this same facial expression a year later after having it buried within the confines of his mind threaten to recall pleasant memories too painful to be allowed to resurfaced.

Maybe he _had_ grown soft, after all.

"Um, are you listening... or are you still going to gawk at me?"

"Huh?!" Yuu suddenly stopped bowing to glare down at his offender for the accusation, which wasn't partially false but still angered him nevertheless. "I-I-I wasn't gawking! I was, um, trying to catch my breath because you bumped into me so hard."

A mischievous smirk graced her features and Yuu tensed at the sight. The way this woman was staring at him gave him a feeling of apprehension. "Hmm... So, my appearance was that breathtaking, huh? You must've really liked what you saw..."

"Hell no!" Yuu furiously objected, trying to fight back his blush. He noticed the shocked expression on Ms. Bombshell's face and immediately held up his hands in defense. "I-I mean, you're not ugly or anything! You're very cute and―"

"But wasn't I beautiful?" Ms. Bombshell gently interrupted, a sickeningly sweet smile on his lips.

Yuu fought back the overwhelming wave of emotion that threaten to seep its' way into his heart. "W-Whatever! Like I said, it wasn't entirely your fault that we both fell flat on our asses."

"Then whose fault, was it?" Ms. Bombshell asked curiously. "If it wasn't my fault or yours, then who's to blame?"

"That's... um..."

That question had caught Yuu completely off-guard. He'd originally planned to apologize for the mishap and walk away from the scene like it never occurred. However, now that he talked himself into a corner, Yuu was unsure of whether he could get out of it. These situations are what politicians are accustomed to, and he wasn't one of those greedy bastards!

Not to mention that despite the very few relationships forged with people that he could proudly call "friends" or "lovers", he wasn't a very friendly person. Yuu could communicate with people like any other normal person; he just wasn't desperate for social interaction. All those days spent alone at school, home, and on his laptop held meaning as he slowly gained gain an understanding about his harsh reality. Whether they were based on appearance, similar interests, or proximity, any relationship would deteriorate if no one didn't contribute; no matter who initiated it first. Of course, Yuu also knew that included the more... deplorable friendships, but he wasn't one to stump so low. Norms of social acceptance be damned!

"But I don't see how any of _that_ 's gonna help me..." Yuu muttered.

"Is talking to yourself going to help you prove your innocence?" Ms. Bombshell questioned.

"N-No, but like I said; it wasn't my fault. It's just..."

Just what exactly? An accident? Love at first sight? True, him colliding with this woman was partially his fault and Yuu was prepared to own up to his mistakes like he always had. No one else didn't make this woman walk into him when he was too preoccupied jamming out to Stetallica. And if by chance, that some otherworldly being _had_ orchestrated the events that unfolded, who would be to blame? God? Fate? A time traveler sent from the future? All those things were unlikely to be the cause and began to seem more ridiculous the longer he'd contemplated the thought.

...

Yuu wasn't a science teacher, but during his junior year in high school, he invented a unique body crashing equation. One that he never thought would be used again...

Movement speed of person (himself) plus movement speed of other person (the beautiful woman in front of him) equals the amount of pain.

Firstly, Yuu wasn't a bulking wall of muscle like a certain wrester he'd knew, but his ass still hurt like a bitch. On the other hand, this girl was a few inches shorter than him and she seemed uninjured. And as for speed, he and Ms. Bombshell moved at a normal walking (skipping in Yuu's case) pace until the moment of impact, at which they both collided into one another and fall on the floor.

But where did that uncalculated force came from?

Yuu knew that he wasn't the culprit as he never intended to fall flat on his ass, so he checked himself off the list of possibilities. That would only leave the woman, Ms. Bombshell; but she was the least likely to be the cause. Besides her attractive looks, she didn't seem to have anything that would cause him to fall and she most definitely didn't shove him, that much he knew. The only thing that Yuu saw that practically stood out on the woman was...

Her massive breasts.

Yuu stared at the objects of his suspicion with the eyes of a hard-boiled detective. His gaze didn't go unnoticed, however, as the suspects' owner crossed her arms over them in a protective manner and glared at him suspiciously.

"Heeey, what are you staring at?" She asked, narrowing her eyes as she did.

"Your breasts," Yuu replied without a hint of shame.

"I can see that," the woman said dryly, her gaze unrelenting. "I just wanted to make sure that you were gawking at me like some pervert again."

"Me? A pervert?!" Yuu said, feeling scandalized. He wasn't going to deny that he practically ogled at her the first time, but unlike before he now had a legitimate reason to do so. "And what do you mean 'again'? I'm not a pervert! If anything, I was admiring your beauty!"

"Yeah, right," the woman said, her tone doubtful. "You were totally staring at me again like some horny teenager!"

"That's―! Um..." Yuu stammered, his embarrassment quickly returning to him. "A-Anyways I was not staring at you _now_ , even though I did it the first time."

"So you admit it!" Ms. Bombshell yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at him, her other arm still covering her large breasts, although barely. "I knew it! I knew you were staring at me like some pervert!"

"Yeah, and what if I did?!"

Yuu found himself blurting out the first words that come into his mind. His own surprise must have been the same as Ms. Bombshell's because her eyes were wide open like a deer's. He had no idea of what to say after that outburst, and perhaps Fate had desired to see him squirm when the person in question glared at him.

"And why would you proudly admit to that?" She demanded, her kind eyes replaced with a fierceness that threaten to bore into him. Her gaze made the woman slightly intimidating, but Yuu wasn't going to admit that.

"That's because... Um..."

The question made his heart race and Yuu immediately regretted saying what he'd said. He didn't have a witty retort, no comeback, no... anything! He always had something and this... bombshell of a woman thought that he was a bad guy when he's the complete opposite! He had no intention of getting under her skirt or any ulterior motive. All he wanted was to apologize for his screw-up, god dammit!

But Yuu wasn't going to run away. Not when his manhood was at stake. He knew that if he backed down now, he would be trampling on the very thing that defined him. It would be as if he'd spat on it and abandoned it like a back-alley hooker.

And he'll be damn if this woman contributed to that shame!

He had to make a stand. Yuu forced his brain to pull out words out of its limited vocabulary, and as ridiculous as the act was, it strengthened his resolve.

"Because men like staring at beautiful girls!"

...

 **Part 4**

 **Day 2 (A day after blowing shit up)**

 **Time: 7: 03 A.M.**

 **Location: Future Foundation 14** **th** **Branch (Hallways)**

The answer was disgustingly cliché and Yuu vowed to never uttered that set of words ever again. True, he had been honest from the beginning of the encounter with this woman and planned to continue doing so until she believed him. But now, after hearing those words play out in his head, Yuu immediately regretted it and wished he could reverse time to prevent his past self from saying such foolishness ("Don't say that corny bullshit!" he would tell him after he'd bitch-slapped his past self).

However, those words seemed to have affected Ms. Bombshell because her face instantly flushed three shades of red.

"D-D-Don't try to sweet talk your way out of this!" she stammered furiously, her blush growing brighter by the second.

"But I'm not sweet talking," Yuu said with sincere honesty. "I'm just sayin' that genuinely nice guys like me like to stare at beautiful girls, just like how I'm looking at one right now."

Yuu didn't have any intention of persuading this woman with flattery, why; he had to be a disrespectful douchebag who solely wanted to get under women's skirts. He'd knew that playing with a female's emotions could lead to serious repercussions, something that had occurred to him several times in rather unintentional but unfortunate circumstances. But after every one of those failures, Yuu realized that a woman's heart was fragile and could shatter if words of admiration or affection rang hollow. So, he decided to be brutally honest with his feelings, the same manner he'd spoken with any woman that doubted his intentions...

Just like he was doing now.

"You're cute― No, _sexy_ as hell, and while this may not mean much to you and you're probably thinking 'I'm crazy and should be placed on a list of sex offenders; I really think that you're beautiful. So, you shouldn't freak out when honest guys like me give you a damn compliment!"

"But what about perverts in general?" Ms. Bombshell inquired, looking at him with suspicious eyes and pink cheeks. "I've only been in this building for a day and you're the only guy I've met who'd ogled me like one of them..."

"Now _those_ kinds of people, you _should_ watch out for," Yuu answered in a warning tone. "I haven't lived here in Japan for too long, but this country is way too peaceful and to me, that's pretty damn sketchy. As good as it is to have it, that much peace poses a problem and if you're in public surrounded by people, you can't tell whose dangerous or who's not. Eventually, you'll came across someone who you 'think' is a nice person, and by the time they show their true colors... it'll already be too late."

"I... never really thought about it that way," she muttered.

"No one does," Yuu added. "If the Tragedy hadn't happened, then I guess that way of thinking would be acceptable in society. But that kind of shit is for the politicians and I ain't about to preach like I know how the world should work. What I _do_ know is that I am NOT the kind of person you think I am and I meant everything I said about you. So, uh..."

Yuu narrowed his gaze in determination, the woman's blue eyes staring into his.

"Believe when I say that I'm a nice guy and that I respect both your looks and you as a person. So please, forgive me for starting off on the wrong foot."

The woman sat on the ground speechless as Yuu apologized for what he knew was the second time today. She didn't even blink and Yuu felt like he screwed up again, but being true to his words lifted a huge weight off his shoulders. Seconds had passed and he wondered if had done something right this time...

Until the woman suddenly burst into spontaneous laughter.

"H-Hey! What's so funny?!" Yuu demanded, feeling his face burn in what he knew was obvious embarrassment. "You think that me being honesty is funny?"

Apparently, Ms. Bombshell found his honesty amusing because her laughter had increased in higher volumes, almost hysterical. It took every ounce of willpower Yuu had to not curse at this woman (who was now rolling on the floor while holding her stomach in a sheer fit of laughter) and storm off. However, doing so meant he would be throwing away his newfound confidence and look like less of a man he knew himself to be.

And he'll be damned if this beautiful, giggling, bombshell of a woman made that happen.

"I know that what I say might not meaning anything to you, but...!"

Yuu shook his head furiously, gritting his teeth as he glared at the woman in front of him.

"I stand by what I say, dammit! Even of you are insanely beautiful, I will not go back on my word!"

"I know _THAT_ much..." Ms. Bombshell reassured, although the occasional chuckles that escaped her didn't make her statement very convincing. "You don't have to try so hard to get on my good side. You're already made a good first impression."

"I-I did?!" Yuu said incredulously. His surprise had only lasted for a moment until he caught the sight of Ms. Bombshell's perplexed expression. Clearing his throat, he swiftly composed himself and said, "I-I mean, of course I did! After all, I'm the Foundation's badass of this branch!"

"Well, would this 'Foundation's B.A.' mind helping me get up?" Ms. Bombshell asked kindly. "I can stand up just fine on my own, but I'm still kind of dizzy because of the collision and, well..."

Her eyes awkwardly glanced down at her chest as she lowered her head in shame. In an instant, Yuu knew the message she was trying to convey and almost felt like a bigger asshole than Togami for having the urge to laugh at the realization. A tiny part of his mind reminded him that he'd witnessed and even dealt with similar occasions where a woman's "assets" serve as a hindrance or attracted unwanted attention. Indeed, big-breasted woman had many problems in their lives, and Yuu considered himself to be someone would could sympathize with their ordeal despite not sharing the same gender.

But even so, he wasn't going to watch this woman suffer for it.

"Sure," he finally said, extending his hand down towards Ms. Bombshell. "Anything for a bombshell like you,"

"Huh?!"

"Anything for a pretty lady like you," Yuu answered smoothly. "So are you gonna sit on the floor, or do I need to use both hands to help you up Ms... uh...?"

Yuu paused, his eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment.

"What is your name, anyway?" he asked quizzically.

"It's Megumi... Megumi Urushibara," the woman answered. "Sorry. I'm kind of new here. I just recently joined this division."

"Megumi, huh..." Yuu mused, his voice a whisper. "Well then, Megumi, the name's Yuu. I can't tell you my last name for... reasons. Also, it's pretty lame so I'll spare myself the embarrassment. As I've already said before, I'm this branch's badass and unlike our division leader; I'm dependable. I may have gotten pissed off at you for that mishap from earlier, but that ain't gonna stop me from being courteous. Nice to meet you."

A smile spread over her over Megumi's lips. Yuu thought it was the last time he would see that sincere smile and its effects were slowly working their way into his heart again. Now wasn't the time to act like a cliché harem protagonist. After all, he was in the presence of a woman and he didn't want to cause any more unnecessary mishaps than he already had.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too, Yuu-san," Megumi said finally, talking Yuu's outstretched hand into her own.

Despite having flawless skin, Megumi's hand felt different than any other woman's Yuu had held in his lifetime. It was rough, but at the same time, held the inherent softness that any female possessed. The feeling reminded Yuu of his own hands after a long day of work. Of course, the memories of his previous occupation didn't factor with his experience of physical contact so he chose not to delve further on that thought.

As Ms. Bombshe― er, _Megumi_ (Yuu had to made sure to remember her actual name now) supported herself on both knees, Yuu tugged at the arm that held her hand. In an instant, Megumi was standing upright on both feet again.

"Thanks," she said, dusting off her skirt with her hands. "A lot of guys think girls like me have it easy when it's really... Oh, shoot."

"What wrong?" Yuu asked, a bit worried that he'd screwed up again. "I didn't do anything else besides stare at your massive chest, did I?"

"No, it's not that, though I'm glad that you're taking responsibility for what you did," Megumi insisted, her tone lingering with resentment. "I can't find my glasses."

"Glasses?..." Yuu said, a bit confused.

"Yeah," Megumi nodded, her eyes scanning over the floor. "I was wearing them before I bumped into you and now they're gone. And those were my only pair too..."

Yuu felt even more guiltier than he already had, knowing full well that her problem was entirely his fault. How was he supposed to know that Megumi worn glasses? She seemed to have no problem seeing him when she'd accused him of being a pervert just moments ago, so it was strange to Yuu that she would bring up her lost glasses now. Of course, Yuu nearly forgotten that Megumi was lying on the ground literally _inches_ away from him during the entire encounter, so he couldn't blame her for it. This woman was probably like him; visibly impaired, and the only thing she could see at the time was an indistinguishable blur of an asshole who'd ogled her like some pin-up girl. Yuu felt anger rose from within him, knowing that asshole was him.

But he couldn't afford to lose his temper. Not when Megumi was down on her knees, combing the floors of the hallways for her lost glasses. That would the unmanly thing to do. However, the manly thing he could do now is offer to help this woman in her search.

Or better yet...

"Actually, I got a spare pair of glasses that you can have."

The instant those words left her mouth, Megumi was in front of him, violating the six-inch rule faster than Yuu realized it happening.

" _Really?_ " she said excitedly, a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "Are they reading glasses by the way?"

Completely taken aback by Megumi's sudden closeness and his six-inch rule being broken, Yuu nervously replied, "W-Well, I'm not an eye doctor but the ones I have are used to help me read and work in front of my computer. Although I have 20/20 vision and my glasses are prescription lenses, I think that you're―"

"Awesome!" Megumi cheered, stepping away from Yuu before striding down the hallway behind him. "Let's go. My new pair of glasses await!"

"H-Hey, hold on a minute!" Yuu called out. "Do you ever know where you're going?"

"To go find your room, of course," Megumi said cheerfully, glancing back at him with a smile. "That's where you keep your spare pair of glasses, right?"

"This is the main building, not the apartment complex!" Yuu informed. "And I didn't say anything about having glasses in my room. I have a spare pair with me right now!"

That made Megumi stop and turn on her heels, her blue eyes staring at him in disbelief.

"Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

"It was your own damn fault for walking off on your own, your idiot," Yuu scolded her, not even bothering to watch his language with the woman. "If you'd just waited, I would have told you that you didn't need to walk all the way back to the apartment complex."

"Oh, so first I'm a bombshell and now you're calling me an idiot?!" Megumi snapped. "You have no respect for women at all, do you?"

"That not's what this is even remotely about..." Yuu muttered in annoyance. What was with this sudden accusation? Hasn't this woman heard a word he said just now? Regardless, he needed to find his phone. _Quickly_. "If you don't want the extra pair of glasses; that's fine by me. I can focus on finding the parts of my phone on the floor and go on about my business."

"Wow... You real don't have any respect for women," Megumi said, her tone condescending. "And actually I thought that you were a nice guy."

"Well, you thought wrong," Yuu countered. "If you didn't listen to my earlier conversation about how people who you think are nice isn't, then you're not going to live very long,"

Megumi crossed her arms under her massive chest and huffed, glaring at Yuu all the while. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

"Good for you," Yuu said sardonically. He found the disassembled pieces of his phone on the floor and kneed down to retrieve them. "But If you had to ask a stranger to help you on your feet and ask them for a pair of glasses, then I highly doubt that."

"And what wrong with asking people for help?" Megumi snapped back. "Does it make you less 'manly' if you do?"

"No, but I ain't about to be foolishly open like the rest of these happy-go-lucky idiots," Yuu replied without looking back at the woman. He had already inserted the battery pack in his cellphone and was now attaching its back cover. "And furthermore, me being self-reliant doesn't make me less of a man. That's just how I was hardcoded."

Megumi furrowed her eyebrows. "And how _were_ you hardcoded?"

"That's none of your damn business," Yuu remarked harshly, attaching his headphones to the cellphone as he stood up standing up from the floor. "You seem to be fine enough to interrogate me, so I'll just get the hell out of here."

"And how do you suppose I'm going to find my glasses when I can't even see?" Megumi demanded. "But unlike you, giving up on your manners; I have no intention of giving up my search."

"And _I_ have no intention of taking any more of your bullshit," Yuu retorted, his frustration showing. "I guess behind those pretty looks, you're just like every other woman I don't bother giving the time of day."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it means," Yuu answered, beginning his departure as his did. "Good luck with the search for your glasses. Just stay the hell away from me if you ever need a new pair."

"W-Wait a minute! Where do you think you're going?!" Megumi's voice called out to him. "Get back here and apologize!"

"Can't here you, jamming out to Stetallica," Yu said in a matter-of-fact tone as he inserted the headphones into his ears. His phone was still powered off, so he technically wasn't doing what he'd said. But that woman didn't need to know that, and hopefully his statement would prevent her from getting on his nerves any further.

Unfortunately, Fate had decided to be the cruel, maniacal mistress she was when Yuu heard angry footsteps approaching him from behind. He already knew who they belonged to and regretted contemplating that very thought when her voice called out for him again.

"Get back here and take some responsibility, you―"

Yuu whipped his head around with the intention of yelling at Megumi, hoping the woman would leave him alone. However, his eyes had only registered the angered look on her face...

Before her foot slipped on the floor beneath her.

And it, along with her entire body came, off the ground with her.

In that moment, time came to a standstill. Yuu could see Megumi's body suspended in mid-air, her beautiful blue eyes staring at him in utter horror. As Yuu watched her began to plummet towards the floor, he could still hear her voice. And within those slow milliseconds, before Yuu could register what had transpired, one word managed to escape her lips. One word that Yuu thought he would never hear again...

"...Jerk."

...

 **Part 5**

 **Day: ?**

 **Time: ?**

 **Location: ?**

Junko Enoshima sat on the edge of a bed with a bowl of chocolates in his lap, clad in a giant white t-shirt that reached her knees as she lazily kicked her slender legs back and forth in the air. Her blue eyes possessed a despair-filled gleam within them as she surveyed her latest handiwork held in her hand.

A plastic DVD case containing a single disc, the words "WATCH ME" written in black marker.

The despair girl almost felt giddy at her own accomplishment, but the feeling faded as quick as it came. It had token her almost an hour to find all the proper equipment, and nearly another to return everything back to their original places. Then, there was the additional two hours importing the video from the camera, to a laptop, and burning the damn file on a DVD, all those things she did in two hours. _Two_ _**fucking**_ _hours_!

Junko knew that she shouldn't underestimate her own abilities, but dammit there were downright pathetic― despairingly so. Two hours was the average amount of time it took for an amateur female pornstar's video to go viral. Hell, in that span of time, some pervert could've jerked off to her entire magazine catalogue!

Of course, she wouldn't had wasted her time doing any of those things if they weren't necessary. But the lovely despair of having a limited schedule and being extra cautious about her movements make all the effort worth it in the end.

"Oh yes... This will definitely be worth all and time and effort I put into this."

Smiling to himself, Junko could barely contain her excitement at thought of her intended viewer's reaction of watching the DVD. She could practically see his face now, filled with despair and completely deprived of his precious hope. The thought of it all made her soaking wet.

Junko felt slightly disappointed that she couldn't witness that glorious moment firsthand. However, the thought of being the same room with that hopeful bastard was a huge turn-off. His time was coming soon, and every minute that passed is a minute he had left to live. All she needed to do was one more thing, and she could finally put her plans into action. Once that's been achieved, she would make good on her promise to kill him and she'll enjoy taking immense satisfaction curving up his hope-filled insides.

And the sweet despair it'll bring her when she did.

"Just you wait, Makoto," she muttered, her voice filled with ecstasy as her despairingly slim legs rubbed against each other. "I'll be coming for you soon enough. Upupupupupu...Upupupu... Pupu... _Ohhhh fuck_..."

The bowl of chocolates spilled onto the sheets as Junko fell backwards on the bed, her entire body drenched with sweat.

Even as the despair girl shamelessly rubbed her hands all over herself lost in her arousal, her eyes were demonic black slits over pools of sapphire.

 **...**

 **Part 6**

 **Day: ?**

 **Time: ?**

 **Location: ?**

 **Entry 1**

 _It appears that all the key subjects have finally arrived. The first phase of the project will now commence as planned. Currently, the anticipated events foreseen have unfolded, and the subjects are acting accordingly to their roles._

 _On another note, their awakenings will occur at their own respective times. As of now, one of the key subjects have recently tapped into one of their unique abilities. I will continue to monitor their progress as planned. Once the objectives of Phase One have been achieved, the project will proceed to Phase Two._

 _No anomalies are present, just as predicted. Nevertheless, I shall continue to observe the subjects' conditions until a situation arises that requires my intervention._

 _As for one of the key subjects, they have already been given instructions about their role in the project. And as the same expectation of one of other key subjects present, they must follow their orders obediently without question._

 _Overall, the plan is proceeding smoothly and key events have already been set in place. All that remains is for the subjects to follow their respective roles as foreseen._

 _For the sake of humanity, the desired outcome must be achieved. Any obstacles standing in its way will be dealt with._

 **Entry End**

...

 _ **Inside Peko Pekoyama's cottage**_

Peko Pekoyama swung down her shinai, hitting the practice dummy's head with expert precision. She raised her weapon high above her head and brought it down on her target once more... then again... and again... and again.

For several minutes, the swordswoman repeated the same motion, each strike hitting it's mark every time. Her crimson eyes were intense with focus, and behind her attacks possessed the strength of a fierce warrior.

Peko raised her shinai high above her head, ready to strike once again. However, before she could bring her weapon down on her intended target, she froze.

Quickly, she turned towards the window. It was closed and the curtains were shut, just like they had been all night when she slept. There were no indications that the window had been moved or tampered with, so the chances of an intruder being in her room was unlikely.

So why did she sense an evil presence just now?

" _Perhaps this 'Monokuma' was watching me?"_ Peko thought. _"It was foolish of me to think that my last attack could defeat it. I'll make sure it stays down for good the next time I see it."_

Without a doubt, this 'Monokuma' creature was a threat. While it's true capabilities were unknown, the malicious aura it exhibited was unlike anything she'd sense before. Enemies that she'd previously fought had similar presence, but they all paled in comparison with the threat that had appeared just a day ago. And if this... thing remained alive, it will eventually become a threat to her young master.

She could not allow that to happen.

" _For the sake of my young master, I will defeat this Monokuma,"_ Peko told himself. _"As his tool, I must protect him at all costs. Even at the cost of my own life. But before I do..."_

Peko tightly gripped the handle of her shinai so hard it would break.

" _Hajime must first provide me answers. Why did Monokuma attack him? And why did it come to this island?"_

Setting those thoughts aside, Peko readied herself in the proper stance. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled as the tension left her. Seconds had passed and her entire body stood perfectly still, like a stone statue.

Then Peko's eyes snapped open, her features instantly harden into a cold, emotionless mask.

Then, as fast as lightning, she swung her shinai down on the training dummy's head, splitting it in twain.

...

 **To be continued...**

...

A/N: You didn't honestly expect me to post a chapter on Halloween without Junko in it, didn't you? It's probably the new month already so if it's the first of November, please forgive this Mellow Dias for being stupid. I had a Halloween chapter in the works where Yuu was trolling the girls non-stop and Junko was trolling... everyone, but I'll save that idea for another chapter. Also, I referenced one of my favorite bands. If you figure it out who they are, you're a freaking genius.

So, what do you think about Megumi's introduction? What do you think about this chapter as short as it was? Please leave a comment if your wish. Comments and criticism are always welcomed. Heck, you can even P.M. me if you wish.

Oh, and before I end this author's note, thank you guys and gals for always supporting me whenever I was gone for periods of time. You have no idea how much that does for me. Hearing you all say you like the story is like a burst of energy, and seeing my inbox flooded with messages, favorites, followers and likes is just... beyond amazing. I wouldn't be writing this story if it wasn't for you all. And for that, I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart.

Until next time, everyone! And thanks... For sticking with this Mellow Dias.


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